From Across the Hall
by Dark Waffle
Summary: The apartment across Natsu Dragneel's door had always been empty for as long as he had lived there. One day, someone finally moved in. No big deal. Except, the occupant of the apartment was stunningly beautiful, kind hearted woman with an adorable, blonde haired child that had an infectious smile strickingly similar to that of her mothers. But, no big deal, right?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've posted and for that, I'm terribly sorry. But, I am back and ready to contribute to the fandom again! With all the craziness that has been the last few Fairy Tail chapters, I've gotten nothing but inspiration to write again. And with that, I present to you all my newest story:** _ **From Across the Hall**_ **!**

 **I am so excited for this story and excited to share it with all of you! I have outline pretty much the entire story and while the chapters do need to be written out, the plot and basis of the story has been established. I have a whole folder dedicated to this story! It's definitely going to be longer than** _ **Fallen Star**_ **.** _ **Fallen Star**_ **was shorter in chapters but each chapter had a significant length to it.** _ **From Across the Hall**_ **will have shorter chapters, but the length of the story will be longer.**

 **So without stalling any further, I do not own** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **.**

 **Enjoy everyone!**

 _ **From Across the Hall**_

 _ **-O-**_

 _ **Chapter 1: It Starts with Hello**_

Nothing irritated Natsu Dragneel more than disturbance in his sleep.

It was Saturday morning and he could hear the construction chirping away like the notice on his apartment door said it would. Groaning into his pillow, he buried his head deeper into the depths of his sanctuary, hoping that the noise would magically disappear.

Unfortunately, it only seemed to grow louder.

With no other choice, Natsu begrudgingly pulled himself out of bed and headed towards the bathroom in his small apartment space. Looking into the mirror, the black bags were heavy under his onyx eyes and his abnormal pink hair was a disheveled mess.

But that was the aftermath of battling a raging fire all night long.

The strong scent of smoke and ash was still reminiscent as it engulfed his nostrils. He took a sniff at his body and realized that he reeked of the burning fire from the night before.

A shower would do well for him.

Jumping into the steaming hot water, he could feel the filth washing away from his skin. He winced slightly as the water stung at the slight burn on his hand. Trying to play hero always had a cost and last night, it was his hand.

He made a mental note to wrap it up once he was done with his shower.

Once out of the shower, there was a gnarl at his stomach. That was enough of an indication for breakfast. Knowing he was out of groceries, his mind had already decided where his choice of breakfast would be.

Slipping into a light sweater and some old worn out jeans, he made his way out of his apartment, internally cursing the construction that disturbed his slumber.

Before he made his way over towards Lemon and 4th, Natsu casted a glance over towards the vacant apartment.

After living here for more than a year, apartment 4B still had not been occupied.

He eyed the door for a moment before shrugging it off as his mind wandered aimlessly to the chocolate chip waffles that were calling his name.

"Good morning, Natsu."

At the call of his name, Natsu with shrugged shoulders turned to Yajima, the landlord of his apartment complex.

"Mornin'." he called out, putting a hand to his mouth as a yawn came out. Geeze, why did their need to be so much construction this morning?

"You doing alright, son?" Yajima asked as Natsu walked by with his hands in his pocket and a tired expression plastered on his face.

"Tell me old man…" the pink haired boy looked at him unamused. "Why the hell is there so much damn construction so early in the morning? Some people, like me, really _enjoy_ their sleep."

The old landlord blinked once, but not before blowing out the smoke from the pipe in his mouth. He scratched his head and looked at Natsu with an unreadable gaze.

"This is out of my hands. I've let every patron in this apartment complex aware of the situation. Your own doing if you decide to sleep here knowing that the work next door was going to begin at 8am."

Frowning, Natsu pursed his lips. "The hell? This is where I live! Where am I supposed to go after work? That defeats the whole purpose of _living_ here!"

Yajima shrugged. "You young folk and your demands to have whatever it is you please."

Already in a horrid mood, Natsu decided that Yajima was going to continue angering him. Choosing to take the higher route, he grumbled a goodbye and made his way towards Fairy Diner.

He could practically smell Mira's delicious Fairy Platter.

When the doors of Fairy Diner came into view, his grin grew tremendously. Food, more often than not, put him in a better mood. And he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into Mira's famous pancakes.

As he entered, he saw people coming out the door, which was a usual for morning brunch. Recognizing familiar faces, he saw longtime friends running around the restaurant as they attended to their tables. Being the regular he was, Natsu went over to his bar seat and spotted the familiar snow white haired maiden that always served up his favorite dish.

"Yo, Natsu."

At the sound of his name, called man turned to find a dark haired man with dark colored eyes taking the seat next to him.

"You gotta sit here, ice princess?" He grumbled as he anxiously waited on Mira.

The dark haired man glared at him. "You have a problem with that, flame brain?"

"Yeah, you're ruinin' my appetite!" He countered, growling with his canine teeth.

"I'll ruin that face of yours if you keep talkin'!"

"Bring it on, you damn stripper!"

Both men jumped from their seats and locked foreheads with one another, glares embedded deep on their foreheads. Not a moment later, they were rolling around on the floor, throwing punches at one another, knocking tables and people over.

"Oi! Watch it, you two!"

"Why the hell are you guys fighting so damn early?!"

"Can it, the two of you!"

Random voices that were used to the young men's antics shouted as familiar faces were accustomed to the routine of Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster.

"Oh boy. They sure are starting early." A soft, tender voice behind the bar counter said. She giggled, ringing in the orders for both the young men she had known for some time now.

"They're a pain in my ass." Another voice joined the fray as he stepped out of the back door behind the bar.

"Why don't you stop them, dear? Erza isn't here so you know it falls on you to do so." The man glared at the two men rolling on the floor and scowled.

Laxus Dreyar, owner of the Fairy Tail Diner sighed in annoyance as he uncrossed his arms.

"Why do I always have to clean up their damn messes?"

The man sauntered over to the two on the floor and reached down for them, grabbing them both by their collars. Their fighting and screaming of obscenities stopped almost immediately.

"Can the both of you stop being children for _5 damn minutes._ I have a restaurant full of people to feed and I can't do that when the both of you are rolling around the floor like 3 year old toddlers!"

Natsu and his dark haired companion known as Gray both pouted in embarrassment as scattered giggles circled the room. They both refused to look at one another as Laxus dragged them back to their bar seats. Mira giggled as she looked at both with a remorseful smile.

"I don't want to hear it from either of you for the rest of the morning or I will _ban_ you from entering inside these doors, understand? Natsu? Gray?" Laxus was eyeing them carefully, both men refusing to make eye contact with him. He sighed roughly and left towards the back.

"Tch. Stupid Laxus." Natsu muttered as he put a chin to his palm.

"You're obviously in a shit mood. Who pissed in your cereal this morning?" The dark haired man sitting next to Natsu asked.

Gray Fullbuster was a longtime friend of his. Friend was putting it nicely. He and Gray had always been at odds since the day the first met. They were polar opposites and disagreed on almost everything. Despite the vast differences in personality, they were best friends who relied on one another when things went south.

"They're knocking down the building next door to my apartment complex and woke me up. I only got around three hours of sleep because of that fire down on Lemon Ave last night."

Gray nodded his head, understanding Natsu's source of frustration. He was there last night as well as his rig was called in to transfer some civilians with smoke inhalation to the hospital. The life of a paramedic was just as erratic and dangerous of that as a fireman.

"That sounds shitty. Sorry man."

Mirajane Strauss giggled to herself as she watched the two boys she had grown up with conversing with one another. It was rare when they weren't bickering or going back and forth at each other. But, she knew that even though they had such polar opposite personalities, the two we're great friends.

"Thanks for ruining my meal, ya damn stripper." Natsu smirked as he laid money out on the table for Mira. "Thanks for the breakfast as usual, Mira!"

Mira waved goodbye with a candid smile

"To hell with ya, you damn pyro!" Gray shouted out in retribution, but Natsu paid no him no heed. He merely smirked and went on with his day.

His day consisted of heading back to the fire station, where he lounged around in the break room all day and got some much needed sleep that he was highly anticipating.

"Are you just going to hang around here all day, Dragneel?"

Natsu opened an eye and saw his partner and crime Haru Glory smirking down at him with that stupid grin of his as his flap jacket was hanging over his shoulder.

"I'm trying to sleep, asshole. Leave me alone." Natsu turned over on his side away from the silver haired jerk who was disturbing his sleep. Yes. Sleep. Sleep was calling his name.

"You know, I am just trying to help you out here. If boss man sees ya sleeping here, he's going to make you work."

Ugh, why him? All he wanted to do was get some _damn sleep!_

But Haru was right. If their captain saw him sleeping on his _day off_ in the break room, he'd probably be patrolling for the rest of the night!

Nah uh! No way! He deserved a night off after that insane fire last night.

"I hate you." Natsu grumbled and Haru grinned.

"Why the hell are you here anyway? Isn't today your day off too? Didn't you have a date with Elie or something like that?" He asked as he pushed himself off the couch.

At the mention of his partner's girlfriend, he pouted, a sulk forming on his lips.

"Julia came over today and demanded to take Elie out since apparently I'm hogging her all to myself – what does that even mean!? Julia knows she's more than welcomed to come over! Let does all the damn time!"

Natsu laughed as Haru complained about the lack of quality time with his girlfriend.

"So here I am, picking up an extra shift because I have nothing better to do than save lives and stop raging fires from destroying the city."

Natsu snorted. "You make it sound like it's no big deal."

"Will you just go along with it?!" Another smirk from Natsu and Haru sighed, muttering an obscenity under his breath. "I could really use some support here, man!"

"You live with Elie, you idiot! You get to see her all the time. So what if her friends want to visit her too?" But that wasn't a satisfying answer for Haru as he shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but I hardly see her these days. She's teaching during the day and I'm sleeping. Then I'm out on patrol all night while she's sleeping. With our schedules, it's just been tough to get some quality time with one another."

Haru sighed again and Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't know what to say to his partner. Having been in only one relationship – one that was rather short to say – Natsu definitely wasn't the love guru. He was the last person to get advice from. And Haru really liked Elie. That guy always went over the top for her, worshipping the ground she walked on. Haru wouldn't shut up about her. The guy was always showing her off.

But, Natsu couldn't say he wasn't envious.

Even if Haru was a love struck fool, he was happy.

And that was something that the salmon haired man couldn't take away from him.

"I'm sure you guys will work it out." Yup, that's all he could offer without giving him some terrible advice that would result in a break up.

A shiver went down his spine. Haru was already a mess with Elie. He didn't want to imagine what Haru would be like _without_ her.

 _BRRRIIINNNNGGGGG._

Hands immediately shot to his ears as that damn shrilling alarm went off in the station. Natsu had been working here for two years already and he could never get over that damn bell. It made his heart stop on more than several occasions.

The break room moved to chaos as men form their respective units began to scream and shout, gear began flying around, and individuals shoving others out of the way.

"Well, duty calls. See ya later, man!"

Natsu nodded as Haru threw on his flap jacket and ran down the steps. No, they did not have those damn poles. Wherever that stupid stereotype came from, Natsu wished it would disappear. People always mocked and teased him- the damn stripper would actually! About sliding down the pole to get to their damn trucks. That was not a thing. They use the stairs and half the time, fire stations are only first leveled buildings now anyway!

Tch, damn ice princess.

He watched as his colleagues, his friends, rode out onto the street, the shrill alarm of the siren echoing throughout the neighborhood into the busy streets.

The life of a firefighter was never a dull one, that was absolute.

Eye lids suddenly felt heavy as drowsiness began to overcome him. Sleep sounded so damn good right now, but damn Yajima for not telling him that the apartments next to him were being torn down. Maybe if he was tired enough, he would just fall asleep and not even hear the bulldozing of the building right next to him.

Fat chance of that.

So what was he to do now?

He grinned as the answer came easy to him. He grabbed his keys off the table in the break room and headed out the station as excitement filled him.

It was time to pay visit to an old friend.

 _ **-O-**_

"STOP RUNNING YOU BRATS."

"Run! It's the old geezer!"

Three kids went running past him as silly, but terrified grins were evident on their young faces. Natsu turned to follow the kids running down the hall to their class as they screamed and cheered with adrenaline. A smirked formed at the corners of his mouth.

"They are no better than you were at their age."

"They're good, I'll give you that. But, no one was better at causing havoc then the infamous Natsu Dragneel."

Natsu turned to find the headmaster of Fairy Tail Academy heaving slightly as an annoyed glare was etched on his brows.

The headmaster scoffed, an amused chuckled escaping his old lips. He turned his gaze up towards Natsu and shook his head.

"An enigma you were indeed, Natsu Dragneel. Indeed, you were." Makarov Dreyar, one of the founders of Fairy Tail Academy reminisced as the days of Natsu and co rummaged through his mind.

The headmaster gestured for Natsu to follow as they paved down the halls that Natsu once ruled. Memories were flooding of his academy days and he couldn't help but smirk. His class was a rowdy bunch alright. The amount of damages and expenses they cost the school was devastating. The amount of trouble they often found themselves in was even worse.

"So what brings you here, boy?" Natsu shrugged his shoulders.

"it's my day off. So I figured I'd stop by FT and say hello."

Makarov hummed lightly as the children filed their ways into their classrooms. "You have nothing better to do, is that what I'm hearing?"

Natsu cringed, caught red handed by his former headmaster. The older Dreyar chuckled slightly, knowing that he was under the right impression. When they walked into the staff building, the heavily respected headmaster was greeted by the numerous amount of administration working.

It was sad to say, but Natsu recognized most of the folk who worked up front.

Needless to say, Natsu was a frequent visitor to the admin office. He could still see his special chair lodged in the corner by the receptionist's desk. Between him and the ice princess, they had given the front office a run for their money indefinitely.

"My most frequent visitor to date. That hasn't changed in the slightest."

There were random chuckles and giggles throughout the office and Natsu's cheeks burned. Yeah, so what he was a mischievous child? And he was in the headmaster's office more times than he could possibly count?

"Yeah, well this kids can't hold a candle to the infamous Natsu Dragneel. It's all child's play to me."

"I'm not sure that is something you want to gloat about, boy. If I recall correctly, it was on my good word that you were able to enlist into the fire academy. With that _infamous_ record of yours, other applicants would have been denied instantly."

Natsu clicked his tongue as Makarov's comment was followed by a hoarse laugh.

It was true that Makarov's good word was the reason he was allowed into the fire academy. Had it been solely on the merits of Natsu's personality and background, the pink haired man would not be a firefighter at this day. Causing a lot of trouble as a kid, he found himself always being scolded by either the headmaster of Fairy Tail or their student body president and his surrogate sister, Erza Scarlet.

Had it not been for those two, Natsu could have ended up in worst places that didn't involve being woken up at 7am in the morning due to construction work. He owed his life to the old man in front of him. Makarov Dreyar was not his grandfather by birth, not by a long shot. But, it was the closest that Natsu had gotten one. If it wasn't for his guidance throughout the years, he would probably be on the other side of town, having to worry about his next fix or his next buy out.

"Yeah, well, I'm making a decent living for myself now." Natsu grinned and threw his hands behind his head.

Makarov smiled. "Yes, you are."

"Oh, Master Makarov! The backorder of uniforms has arrived! If you could sign off on them?" A slender, busty woman handed the older man a chart and Natsu cocked his head. This woman had looked oddly familiar.

"Oh, right. Those damn things. Give it here."

"Thank you sir!" The slender woman with dark, raven hair turned towards him and smiled. "Hi there, Natsu. Long time no see!" She turned on her heel and stalked away.

Now he was confused.

"Say, since you have nothing better to do on your day off. Help this poor man and carry those boxes to the storage room, will you? You _do_ remember where the storage room is, don't you?"

"Oh yeah! Use me for your labor work, ya old geezer!" Was his initial reaction, but that was followed with a pink hue. "And of course I remember where the storage room is!"

The storage room was an infamous hiding place where intimacy came more than once. One would think that they would all learn not to go into the storage room for their private moments. But, that didn't stop half the student population. It was almost tradition to use the storage room at least once while at Fairy Tail Academy.

Natsu could recall his storage room incident and it wasn't one he was particularly fond of.

The old man merely laughed as he waved off Natsu. "Come back here when you're done. It shouldn't take you to long to finish!" And with that, the longtime headmaster of Fairy Tail Academy disappeared into his office room.

Natsu shoved his hands in his pockets with a sour look crossed on his face while muttering incoherencies under his breath.

 _Stupid old man._

 _ **-O-**_

There was a sigh of relief that escaped his lips when his apartment complex came into view. Natsu could not be any happier when the silence reached his ears and the construction company had seized their work for the night. After a long day of unexpected physical work, he was ready to call it a day.

He did after all have a shift bright and early in the morning. His first day shift in almost 4 months. Natsu wouldn't complain though. Those long nights took a toll on not only his physical health, but his mental health. Lack of sleep and his constant toss and turning had him looking like the walking dead.

When the elevator stopped on his floor, Natsu practically ran to his room without seeming so desperate. As he searched for his keys, they of course fell from his hands and onto the floor. Groaning, he knelt and grabbed them, only to come face to face with a loiter of brown boxes in front of him.

Wait, what?

There were boxes stacked outside the apartment across the hall from him.

That was… different.

When Natsu noticed the boxes outside of apartment 4B, he almost took them for mistake as trash. Because no one lived in 4B. No one had lived there for the past year. Every so often, a couple of teenagers would try and break into the apartment, have their fun, and leave knowing that no one lived there. Every so often, people would break in and take shelter from the cold or from life because it was open to just about everyone.

So when Natsu noticed the stacked boxes outside the door, he was perplexed.

"Hey Mister?" broken from his thoughts by a tiny voice, Natsu shifted his gaze from the door to his surrounding area. His dark eyes went wide.

"Why is your hair pink? Pink is a girl color, duh."

" _Allison!_ " the shrieking came from a much older blonde who came running at the small girl with her hands full of bags. She profusely apologized as she bent down and scooped what he assumed was her daughter in her hands. "I apologize for my daughter's rude comment. She has a habit of saying things, even when she knows she shouldn't." Natsu chuckled as he watched what possibly was his new neighbor gaze down at her daughter with a look of disapproval.

"But _mommy!_ He has pink hair!" Natsu couldn't help but laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. What a cheeky kid, he thought.

" _Allison Heartfilia."_ The mother scolded, and the child stopped the next words from leaving her tiny, little mouth.

"No worries, now. It is strange, isn't it?" The pink haired man winked at the child and she immediately blushed, hiding in her mother's shirt. The mother sighed with frustration as she fumbled with the bags in her hands.

"Well I do apologize again… umm…?"

He smiled, showcasing his pearly white canines.

"Natsu Dragneel."

The blonde giggled slightly, smiling at him with a look of amusement. "Lucy Heartfilia. And my daughter Allison." Natsu waved with a grin and she hid her face in her mother's shirt again. "Sorry again for her. She's a handful."

"All kids usually are." He certainly was.

They both laughed in unison.

Her smile was really pretty.

Hell, _she_ was really pretty.

"Have a good night, Mr. Dragneel." She called out to him and Natsu shook his head.

"Call me Natsu. Mr. Dragneel makes me feel old." The pretty blonde, _Lucy_ , set her child down as she struggled to unlock the door with all those bags in her hands. He should help her, shouldn't he?

"Right. Call me, Lucy." She unlocked her door. Bummer, he wasn't fast enough.

"Alright. Good night, Lucy."

With that, his pretty, blonde next door neighbor ushered her child into the door. She looked back and smiled at him before locking the apartment door behind her. Natsu couldn't stop the grin from spreading on his lips as he looked at the door of apartment 4B.

 _Lucy Heartfilia, huh?_

 **A/N: If you are a Hiro Mashima fan, then you probably have noticed that some of our dear old friends from Rave Master our joining us in this journey. Yes, Haru Glory and some of the cast of Rave Master will be in this! While they may appear in this story, this is not a cross over between the Fairy Tail manga and Rave Master. This still very much focusing on Fairy Tail and our favorite mages.**

 **Now, I hope you liked the first chapter! I won't make this author's note too long as my studies await for I am a senior at the university and have lots to do! Let me know what you think! Reviews and comments are always appreciated!**

 **Until next time!**

 **\- Dark Waffle**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: _Wow._ All I can say is wow. One chapter and I already have at least 50 followers. You guys are so great! I can't believe how well people are already receiving this story! Hopefully you all enjoy what's to come in the future!**

 **Now, without further a due, the next chapter of _From Across the Hall_!**

 **I don't own _Fairy Tail_ nor it's contents.**

 ** _From Across the Hall_**

 ** _-O-_**

 ** _Chapter 2: Hope for Tomorrow_**

"Mommy, can I have some juice please?"

Lucy Heartfilia felt a tugging at the side of her shirt as she was unpacking one of the many boxes in the apartment kitchen. She looked down to see her four-year-old daughter looking up at her with her bright, blue eyes that had carried such innocence.

She smiled down at her daughter. "Of course you can, honey."

The blonde haired child smiled enthusiastically.

"What type of juice would you like?"

The young child put a finger to her chin, something that Allison very much so picked up from her mother, and jumped when a decision came to mind.

"Orange please!"

Lucy gave a small smile in return. The love her daughter had for orange juice was quite the obsession. Allison Heartfilia could out drink most adults in orange juice, that was a fact.

While her daughter hummed to herself, Lucy gave herself this opportunity to relax.

The move had certainly been an arduous and tiresome process. Yes, packing up one's life and moving across the country was exhausting. But, doing this with an energetic four-year-old made the process that much harder.

Lucy could still hear Aquarius' lecture replaying in her mind.

Never mind that, Lucy thought to herself.

The matter of fact was that she made it to Magnolia in one piece. She and her daughter had made it safely and that's all that Lucy really cared for. Allison was Lucy's first priority in her life and she would make sure that her daughter was given the best that she could provide.

Speaking of her daughter and providing…

"Honey, why don't you go and put some shoes on?"

Her daughter's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Are we going exploring today, mommy?!"

The bright, blue eyed child jumped from her seat and was bouncing in her step. Lucy often wondered if she was as rambunctious and energetic as Allison is when she was a child. She could hardly keep up with her daughter at times.

"Yes, we are." Allison cheered as she ran towards her room with her arms open wide like an airplane.

Yeah, they were going exploring alright.

Lucy needed a job.

What money she had saved up this last year wasn't enough to make a living off of. In the city of Magnolia, where the cost of living was much higher than that of Hargeon, her savings would only last at least 3 months.

And because she couldn't just leave Allison alone and didn't have the money for a babysitter – not that she knew anyone yet anyway – her daughter was going to join her.

"Okay mommy! I'm ready!"

Lucy looked over her daughter and gave her the nod of approval. That sweet, sweet smile of hers was bright and curious as she was about to enter this new world that she had never experienced before.

Walking out of the apartment together, Allison was anxiously waiting to get a move on with the day. As Lucy locked the apartment door, her eyes shifted over towards the door of that of her new neighbor.

After her daughter insulted the color of her hair, Lucy was sure that he would scorn her and make living here most uncomfortable.

But, he merely shook off her insult and took it like a man. If anything, he played along with Allison. That settled the anxiety that was building within Lucy. But not only was he being a good sport about it, he was kind.

 _He was also kind of hot._

She could feel her cheeks warming up immediately at that thought. No! Bad Lucy! Bad! She wasn't supposed to think that her new neighbor was hot! Men, no… _boys_ , were off limits. This move to Magnolia was set to focus purely on Allison and herself.

While Hargeon had been lovely, she was just content with the life of the trader city. Lucy was itching for something more, for something _new_. While it may had been a quaint town for Allison to grow up in, the blonde knew she could provide her daughter with more. She was determined to give her more than a small cottage on the outskirts of a trader town.

" _Mommyyy! Let's gooooo!_ " At the sudden shrill of her daughter's voice, Lucy quickly regained her composure and reached for her daughter's hand.

"Right. Let's go, sweetie."

 ** _-O-_**

The morning had been a long one as Lucy and Allison made their way throughout the city.

Magnolia was beautiful. It was such a diverse city that held such history. The culture of the city was ever changing and it was different everywhere they had went. Unlike most cities, Magnolia's people were helpful and welcoming. It was transparent that the blonde pair was new to town as they had gotten lost quite often. People were more than happy to guide her to different places across the city.

As welcoming as the people of Magnolia were, the job search was much more difficult then she had imagined. Not many places were hiring, and if they were, they were looking for someone who had a college degree.

Lucy never finished college as her pregnancy took precedence over her own future career. It wasn't that Lucy didn't want to finish school either. The blonde haired woman loved learning and had wanted to pursue a writing career. Throughout high school, her short stories and some news articles she had written for the local paper had been highlighted to the student body and the town she grew up in.

Never mind that, she thought. That was in the past and Lucy was looking forward from now on.

She had filled out applications for several places, but her main concern was where her daughter would stay while she was at work. Lucy had looked into daycare centers, babysitting jobs, and other child care related occupations, but they all required a degree in child education in some sort. Something that Lucy lacked.

People were understanding of her situation and guided her to other places that could help her situation. But, Lucy was still stuck. Who would watch her daughter while she was at work? She didn't have enough money to pay a baby sitter, not that she knew one in Magnolia. Sure, people in this city were awfully nice, but this was her daughter. She wasn't going to trust just anyone with Allison.

Maybe she could ask her neighbor?

Lucy laughed to herself. What a stupid idea!

No, absolutely not. He probably had a job of his own that took too much of his time.

Never mind that! She didn't know a thing about the stranger – No, Natsu Dragneel – across the hall! He could be a psychopath killer for all she knew!

"Mommy" The small blonde haired girl said, "I'm getting hungry…"

The oldest blonde looked down at her daughter and smiled tiredly.

"We have been working hard all day, huh? Why don't we go grab a bite somewhere?" That was a suggestion that the young Heartfilia would agree with. Her smile split her face in half as it broaden over her entire face.

"YAY!"

 _Now, where to go?_

A recommendation that was highly popular was the famous Fairy Diner, which wasn't too far from the apartment complex she lived in. Lucy decided it wouldn't hurt to give it a try and grabbed her daughter's hand as they made their way over.

When they arrived, Lucy cocked her head to the side, taking in the outward appearance of the highly recommended diner. There was a line outside the door and she could hear the chattering from the restaurant outside. As the day dimmed away and a night air settling over the city, Lucy decided that this would be the place to eat.

"Wow, Mommy! Look at how many people there are! This place must be really good, huh!" Her daughter commented and Lucy merely nodded.

"Let's go on in." But Lucy found herself being dragged inside as their daughter ran forward towards the door.

"We have to wait our turn, sweetie. There's a line. We have to be polite, remember?" As soon as those words left her mouth, Allison followed with a pout and sad eyes.

Oh no. Lucy was not going to fall for the sad eyes. There had been plenty of times where Allison had gotten away with things she shouldn't have due to her sad eyes. Lucy would not fall to them. No, she would not.

"Nice try, young lady. But those eyes will _not_ work on me." This encouraged the child to try even harder.

Lucy sighed. "Allison, _no_."

But to no avail, the child continued with her fierce pout.

 _Oh, for the love of…_

"You know; it might be better that you go inside then wait out here."

The voice was low, rough, and when Lucy turned around, wasn't surprised to find a dark haired man with dark, almost raven colored eyes staring at her. There was a fading scar lined across the top of his left eyebrow.

Lucy couldn't help but blush at the sheer attractiveness of the male to her left. While his eyes seemed dark and broody, he was quite the looker.

"Ex-excuse me?" Lucy could have died in humiliation with the strangled words leaving her mouth. Allison looked at her in confusion.

"This is the to go line. It might be better for you and the kid to eat inside. This line takes just as long as waiting inside." There was a smirk playing on his lips now and Lucy laughed nervously.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Allison cheered, tugging on the sleeves of her mother's shirt.

The raven haired titled his head in gesture to follow him inside as they left the line and instantly were met with the cozy warmth of the infamous diner. Lucy's eyes went wide as the place was a total commotion.

People loitered the four walls of the diner, with people yelling obscenities, laughing boisterously, and causing ruckus. Lucy had half a mind to grab her daughter's hand and escort her out the doors they had just walked through.

"WHOA! Mommy! They have a playground! Can I go play, please, please, _pretty pleaseeeee!_ " Immediately, Lucy's grip on her daughter tightened. She looked down at her daughter and shot her a dismissive look.

Allison calmed immediately.

"Er, it's not as bad as it seems. I promise." He had her follow him to the bar style tables and offered a sheepish smile. "I've been coming here since I was a kid so, I think I would know."

"It's certainly has its… charm." Lucy said as she took a seat next to the stranger and pulled her daughter at the seat next to her while a man went flying on the other side of the restaurant.

"Oh Gray! You're back! The usual for you?"

 _Gray?_ Lucy thought to herself.

The stranger – _Gray_ – nodded as he passed the menu over towards Lucy. Lucy eyed him suspiciously, but not before her jaw practically dropped to the counter of the bar.

The snow white haired woman in front of her was _stunningly beautiful_. She was practically shining within the dinginess of this restaurant and her aura was practically screaming. Now only did her hair look white as snow, but her blue eyes were so bright and vibrant and the complexity of her skin made Lucy feel very insecure.

"Wow, lady! You are so _pretty!_ "

 _Oh no…_

Allison had voiced her thoughts as she was standing on her seat, her eyes wide as saucers in adoration. The beautiful woman on the other side of the counter was at first shocked, obviously. It took her a moment to register what had just happened. Her eyes went from the stranger's next to her, then to Lucy, then to the child.

The white haired maiden smiled. Lucy practically swooned herself in the sweetness of this woman's smile.

"Why thank you, sweet heart! You are such a cutie yourself!"

Allison blushed and Lucy laughed nervously.

"What do you say, Allison?" Lucy wouldn't allow her daughter to be without manners. While she had grown up in a life style where prime and proper were without a doubt the importance in a life of wealth, Lucy promised herself she would not subject Allison to that type of social pressure and mental strain. That didn't constitute that her daughter would not learn proper manners though.

"Ah, thank you pretty lady."

The beautiful woman on the other side of the bar giggled. "You can call me Mira."

 _Mira_ then turned her attention to Lucy, who blushed instantly as those light, blue eyes bore into hers. _Such gentleness,_ Lucy thought.

"Hi! My name is Mirajane Strauss, but like I told this cutie pie, you can call me Mira!"

"Mira, don't scare the poor girl." Lucy had almost forgotten about the brooding stranger to her left and turned her eyes to him. He smiled as raven connected with brown. "The names Gray Fullbuster, but you can call me Gray."

"It's nice to meet you both. My name is Lucy. And this is my daughter Allison."

The young blonde child grinned like a child on Christmas when Lucy introduced her. Mira squealed.

"Oh aren't you too cute!" Mira was practically swooning and Lucy couldn't help but laugh. Allison surely had that effect on people – the ability to make people fall in love with you on sight… Loke had said it was something that she inherited from herself, though Lucy didn't think so.

"And wow, I wouldn't have even imagined she was your daughter! You two could be sisters!"

 _How many times had she heard that one before?_

With a strained laughed, Lucy thanked the snow haired maiden- _Mira_.

"She does look exactly like ya. Only difference is the blue eyes." Gray added his input and Mira smiled sweetly, nodding her head in agreement.

Allison had striking similar features to her mother. Both Heartfilia's share the shimmering, long blonde hair that settled over their shoulders and the slightly angled chin with a slim figure. Of course Allison had yet to hit puberty – Lucy shuddered at the thought – but if the Heartfilia genes passed down as they had from Lucy's mother to herself, then Allison would be blessed with a model figure.

Looking at a picture of Layla Heartfilia, one would think her and Lucy were twins without fault. Looking at baby photos from both woman, one would think that they were one of the same. It could also be said about Allison, except for the fact that instead of the soft, chocolate brown eyes that had been passed down for the last few generations in the Heartfilia blood line, she was blessed with striking, electric blue eyes.

Eyes she had inherited from her father nonetheless.

"Yeah, but they suit her well." She rubbed her daughter's head.

"Are you new to town, Lucy?" Mira asked as she placed two waters in front of the newcomers. Lucy nodded with a smile.

"Our second day here. We just moved from Hargeon."

Gray whistled. "The trader town in the East? Geeze, you two came a ways away."

The blonde shrugged her shoulders, but her smile never faltered. "It was time for something new, right honey?"

Allison nodded with that childish grin still plastered on her lips. "Yes! I like Magnolia so far! It's so big and pretty!"

Gray and Mira laughed at her response and Lucy reached for her water.

"Well, welcome to Magnolia! I can say that you've come to the best place in town." A wink followed suit. "Now, I'm sure you are both starving. So, what can I get you two?"

"Oh, waffles! Pancakes! No, no, eggs and bacon! Ohhh, _cheeseburgers!_ "

Lucy laughed nervously as her daughter's appetite was definitely abnormal compared to other children, especially young girls her age. It must had been something from her father's side as Lucy's appetite was that of a size of a fist. Mira and Gray shared a quiet stare and then broke into bits of laughter.

"An appetite like that puts the damn pyro to shame."

 _Pyro…?_

"Well, how about some mini cheeseburgers? As long as it's okay with your mom."

And that's when those electric blue eyes that were filled with childhood innocence and general curiosity sought to hers. If there was one thing that Lucy had learned in her short time of motherhood was that children who looked up to you with big, doe eyes and a pouting lip are easy to succumb too.

"As long as you eat some veggies…"

 _Oh Lucy, you really need a stronger back bone._

"YAY!" Allison cheered in victory.

"We have broccoli. I'll be sure to have our boys in the back put it on the side." Lucy mouthed a quick thank you. "And what about you, Lucy? What will you be eating?"

"You can never go wrong with chicken club. It's always a solid choice." Gray offered his input as he pointed at the menu item. A chicken club did sound pretty appetizing at the moment.

"Or even the steak, if you're into the whole meat thing."

Lucy giggled. "How about I just take your Fairy burger?"

A nod and Mira was off to the kitchen, running down the bar table to greet her other customers- _no,_ her regulars.

"Mommy? Can I go play at the playground please?" Allison asked with her bright blue eyes, and _dammit Lucy! Be stronger than the kid!_

"… Don't go where I can't see you."

"YAY!" She ran off and Lucy watched with a keen eye as her daughter barrowed her way through the groups of people at the diner. Soon enough, she joined in with the other children, who welcomed her with open arms.

Kids were lucky in that way. She had taken advantage of her innocence and the realms of her childhood. Children didn't need to care about the what ifs and the what's next. They're only concern in life was getting away with stealing a cookie before dinner.

"She has you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?"

Lucy put her chin to the palm of her hand and turned briefly towards the attractive stranger – _Gray_ – sitting next to her. Her eyes felt droopy as the day's wear began to overcome her.

"Children tend to do that. Especially cute ones like her. And believe me, she _knows_ she's cute." Gray followed with a chuckle.

"They also seem to tire you out. You alright? You look like you could use a nap."

The concern in his voice was quite the comfort. Lucy didn't even know this man, this Gray Fullbuster. But, the sincerity in his voice was enough to allow herself a moment of weakness. Tiredly, she relieved herself of a heavy sigh.

"You sure you want to hear the complaints of a stranger?" Shrugging, this guy was always shrugging his shoulders. That was then followed with a smirk.

"I don't think your so much of a stranger then you are a friend now." Lucy was touched. Surely, not everyone in Magnolia could be this kind and accepting?

A smile graced her lips. "I'd say acquaintances is a better term."

"You don't make friends too often, do you?" He arched a brow. It was her turn to shrug her shoulders.

Truthfully? No, Lucy didn't make friends often. In her world, the word 'friends' was used loosely. A more common term was asset. In her world, where money and stature ranked your worth, friendship was based on how valuable you were to someone. And once your worth was no longer needed, the asset was no longer required to be around.

So no, Lucy did not do friends.

The only friends she had ever known were the ones who helped her birth and raise her daughter.

Lucy's reply ended with a short smile, and he nodded, almost understanding her gesture.

Right. Personal. He got it.

"YOSH! I AM HUNGRY!"

The doors swung upon with such vigor as a loud, boisterous sounding voice echoed within the walls of the restaurant. Most ignored the dramatic entrance, while others lingered the gaze on the individual at the door. Lucy jumped in surprise, not helping the need to turn around and feast her eyes on the owner of the voice.

"Mira! One Fairy Platter plea- _OI! ICE PRINCESS! You're in my seat!_ "

Eyes as wide as saucers, Lucy recognized the man who was suddenly marching with angry eyes at the man that was sitting next to her- wait, _what did he mean by his seat?_

"Oh for the love of, _THIS AIN'T YOUR SEAT YOU DIPSHIT!_ "

He didn't even seem to recognize her as he threw a punch towards Gray. Lucy released a small _eep!_ before lunging away from the fight that had broken out right in front of her.

" _I ALWAYS sit there!_ Tell him, Mira! This is _MY SEAT._ "

"STOP ACTING LIKE A 5 YEAR OLD! And _dammit Natsu!_ You reek! Don't you ever shower, you damn pyro!" At this point in the conversation, Natsu and Gray had locked arms, _again_. The angry veins in the middle of their forehead were pulsating as their eyes fixated on a glare.

 _Oh for the love of… they were adults! Why were adults fighting in the middle of a restaurant!_

"Hey! It's Mr. Pinky!"

The moment those words came out of Allison's mouth, the two men – tch, more like _boys_ – stopped their grappling. Both raven colored and dark onyx eyes looked for the source of the voice. They both looked down at Allison and Natsu went wide eyed.

"Pft, _Pinky?_ " Gray untangled himself from his entanglement and began to snicker. Natsu shot him a glare.

" _Shut it._ " He seethed under his breath, trying to keep his voice low for the sake of the four-year-old girl.

"Hi, Mr. Pinky!" Lucy was in fact surprised by the sudden eagerness in her daughter. She was all but shy when she had met their neighbor yesterday.

The frown was replaced by a grin as he kneeled down to her daughter's level and ruffled her hair. Allison puffed her cheeks in annoyance as he chuckled. A child she may had been, but Allison was still very much a young girl and her hair was very important to her.

"What up, squirt?" She crinkled her nose.

"You smell funny." Lucy went wide eyed at her comment and Gray burst into fits of laughter.

Natsu's eyes went blank as he registered her statement.

" _Allison!_ "

The child played nativity, spearing confused by the words she spoke. Natsu then proceeded to laugh as he fell back against the floor of the diner, tears kissing his eyes as he wiped them away.

"What? _He does!_ " The young blonde whined.

A stern look from Lucy was all it took to make Allison shift her gaze from the pink haired man to the floor. Guilt ridden and apologetic for her choice of words, the blue eyed child apologized for her offensive words.

"Ara, ara it's no big deal!" He stood up from his spot on the ground and went on eye level with Allison. "I do smell kind of funny, huh?"

"I really wish you wouldn't say that." The oldest blonde muttered as she put a hand to her forehead, releasing an exasperated sigh. But, it seemed like Natsu heard as he threw her an encouraging grin.

The grin caught her off guard and she found herself turning red and her cheeks burning. _What was wrong with her?_ Sure, Gray Fullbuster had that mystery vibe with cool, edgy eyes. But there was something about that childish grin on Natsu's face, even if it was smeared in black…

Speaking of which, Lucy finally paid attention to detail and noticed that the smell emitting from Natsu was none other than that of a thick, melted paint and scorched fire that left a bitter tingle in her nostrils. His attracti - _tanned_ – face was smeared in what she assumed was ash and one of his hands was bandaged.

 _Fire…_ He had a brush of death with fire.

 _Pyro…_

"Lucy! Foods up!" Mira sang.

With all the commotion within the last few minutes, the blonde had almost forgotten that she and Allison had even ordered food. The grumbling in her stomach was a grave reminder of the starvation.

Her daughter cheered as she ran towards the bar stool and struggled to climb up onto the seat. But before Lucy could help her up, Natsu grabbed her by the waist and hauled her on the seat.

"Oh, cheeseburgers huh? Great choice! Sounds like something I would eat!" Natsu commented as Mira placed her food in front of her. The side of broccoli followed right after. The pink haired man crinkled his nose at the sight of the veggies.

"My mommy makes me eat vegetables… I don't think they are very good." Allison pouted as she pushed the broccoli away from her. A laugh ensued from the man smeared in black ash.

"I don't like vegetables either, but... let me tell you a secret." He reached down to her level again and Lucy shared a look with Gray, who smirked. "My dad made me eat lots of vegetables even though I didn't like them and I grew to be pretty strong."

"Really, Mr. Pinky?"

 _Oh for the love of…_

But Natsu didn't seem bothered by the nickname as he grinned, giving her a thumbs up. "Yep! So listen to your mom when she tells ya to eat your veggies, alright squirt?"

She nodded her head in reply and looked towards her mother. Lucy smiled as she took a seat next to her daughter, mouthwatering from the delicious smell that arose from the burger. Allison dug into her meal and left the adults to their conversations.

"Er, I guess it's not too late to say hi!" Natsu took the seat next to her, that once belonged to Gray too.

She found herself laughing again. It had to be a record for how many times she found herself laughing this evening.

"Hi Natsu."

"Wait, you two know each other?" Gray stood behind the two as his eyes shifted between the two adults. Natsu grinned as he put a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"We're neighbors. I just moved in across the hall." The blonde answered. The pink haired man merely nodded.

"So they finally filled in that vacant apartment… about time. Weird that a place like that was empty for so long." Gray commented and it left Lucy apprehensive.

Was there something wrong with the apartment she lived in? She hadn't noticed anything in the last two days. She made a mental note to check for any abnormalities tonight.

Natsu scoffed, glaring at his friend. "Don't scare her off, you idiot. No, Lucy! There ain't anything wrong with your apartment! It was just empty since I moved in a little over a year ago."

Apprehension was still playing in her eyes, but Natsu's bright grin somehow managed to rid of her anxiety about Gray's comment. It honestly freaked Lucy out how easy going this man's personality and demeanor was. She hadn't even talked to him for more than an hour and he had somehow put her at ease.

"Here you go, Natsu!" Mira had made her way back to the trio including her daughter and placed a plate full of food in front of Natsu. Natsu's eyes lit up like Allison's did on Christmas morning. If there was one thing they shared in common, it was their appetite.

"Thanks Mira!" And no second later, Natsu ravaged the food on the plate.

Slightly put off by his awful eating manners, Lucy turned away from Natsu and back towards her daughter. Of course all that was left was one mini cheese burger and her broccoli.

"You almost done, honey?" Allison smiled as she nodded.

"Yup! Mommy, when I'm done, can I go back outside and play on the playground again?" Lucy wanted to say no with the dark sky hanging over their heads, but those damn eyes!

"Once you finish your broccoli. But again, only where I can see you okay?" Allison nodded with a bright smile and proceeded to fish for the broccoli on the plate.

"Ah, looks like I gotta get going." Gray inserted himself as he reached in between Natsu and Lucy, grabbing his keys off the table. Natsu muttered something incoherent and Gray scowled, muttering another insult his way.

 _What gives anyway? Are these guy's friends or do they hate each other?_

"It was nice meeting you, Lucy. Hopefully the idiot over here doesn't drive you insane and run you out of town." He offered a small smile, something she felt like Gray didn't do often. "Let me know if he causes you any trouble. I'll be sure to help you out."

Natsu shot a fierce glare, mouth full of food.

She giggled in response. "Likewise, Gray. And I think I can manage, but I'll keep that in mind."

Gray walked out of the restaurant after waving a quick goodbye to Mira and Natsu huffed.

"Good riddance. Stupid ice princess annoys the hell out of me anyway."

"What is it with you two, anyway?" Were they friends? Rivals? Sworn enemies?

"Oh, don't pay too much attention to it, Lucy." Mira said with a smile. She arched a brow. "Natsu and Gray have been like that since we were all kids. Even though they act like they hate each other, they are actually best friends."

That left her stunned as that was the last guess she would have had. Those two? Best friends? In what reality?

"Tch." Natsu replied. Mira shot him a knowing look.

"Mommy! I'm finished! Look! Look! Can I go now?" And surely enough, Allison had cleaned her plate. It still amazed her how much that child of hers could fit into that tiny body of hers.

"Sure, sweetheart. Remember, where I can see you!" But Allison was already off, finding her first friend on the playground.

"Kid's got spunk." Natsu said in between bites.

Was that a compliment?

"Umm, thanks?" He swallowed and offered a toothy grin.

"And you're not too bad yourself!" Jaw dropping, Lucy felt a heat rise in the back of her neck.

"And what's that supposed to mean!?" Oh Lucy, watch that temper of yours. Remember, you are an adult now. An adult with a _child_ nonetheless.

He laughed. "Ara, ara! Nothing bad, Luigi!"

"My name is _Lucy_!"

A mischievous grin reached his lips almost knowingly. Was this his way of making friends? Because if it was, he could use some special lessons in manners!

"Natsu, stop teasing the poor girl. She's new to town!" The snow haired beauty gracefully made her way over and scolded him.

He pouted. "I know that! Her and the squirt moved in across the hall from me!"

Mira's eyes lit up. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. We met outside my door when Allison so rudely called him out because of the color of his hair. Which, I'm still really sorry about. I'm afraid she's developed no filter in her thoughts." Mira giggled and Natsu chuckled.

"Tellin' ya! Kids got spunk!"

"It's nothing that Natsu hasn't heard before, though. The color of his hair attracts a lot of attention."

"No kiddin'." He bristled as an annoyed frown settled. Lucy was sure that the ridicule he may have received as a child was probably a hardship. Especially being a boy and having pink hair? The nicknames must had been endless.

 _Check list item 1: Make sure Allison stops calling Natsu, 'Mr. Pinky.'_

"I think you wear it rather well." Before Lucy could stop herself, the words rolled out like vomit. Her eyes went wide as a red hue appeared on her cheeks instantly. Natsu blushed instantly and Mira snickered.

"I mean! I have a few friends who have pink hair and they uh, they can't rock it all too well! I mean, they can, but it just doesn't look natural like it does on you?"

 _Oh wow, Lucy. What a blubbering idiot you are!_ She babbled like a school girl with a crush, _which she certainly wasn't!_ There was an awkward air and Natsu coughed. She couldn't even look at him.

"Err, thanks!" Lucy looked back at him and he offered a smile while scratching the back of his head.

"Uh, yeah. You're welcome."

Silence ensued and Lucy cursed to herself. _What an idiot!_ Her eyes trailed off towards the playground, spotting her daughters bright, blonde hair immediately. She was talking to another little girl who was wearing a cowboy hat and making the shapes of guns with her fingers. They seemed to be getting a long fine as they fell to the floor laughing.

"Was it a big fire?"

"Kind of. Nothing our unit couldn't handle though. Haru's smart ass went in with low oxygen though so we hand to get out of the building a lot quicker then we wanted too. He just _had_ to double check the building was clear!"

"Natsu, that's quite hypocritical of you, isn't it? You have a tendency to jump in without thinking. It could possibly be something that he gathered from you."

Lucy caught the tail end of that conversation as she tuned back in. She had heard something along the lines of fighting fires and something about some dangerous tendencies. Somehow, that didn't surprise her too much.

"Are you a firefighter, Natsu?" Lucy asked when Mira stepped away, not wanting to be rude and interrupt the conversation. It explained the dark smudges on his cheek and the reeking smell of ash and the bitterness it left in her nose.

"Yep! For two years now!" His grin was filled with so much pride.

 _Speaking of jobs…_

"Pretty dangerous, huh?" She eyed the bandaged hand that she hadn't noticed yesterday.

He chuckled with embarrassment as he reached for his hand and rubbed at it. "Yeah, it definitely can be. Fire is a very dangerous thing."

Lucy casted a look over towards the playground, finding Allison still with the young girl that was sporting the cowboys hat.

"Yet, here you are." She entertained and he smirked.

"We all have our own reasons for being here." His eyes danced with a light orange flame that almost seemed warm and collected.

Interesting as fire was uncontrollable and fierce. It ravaged all that it touched, leaving nothing but crippling ash and a bitter taste.

"Right…"

 _Reasons…_

Lucy suddenly groaned as she realized her true reason for sitting at Fairy Diner in the first place. Right, job hunting was her sole reason for ending at this boisterous and lively place that had earned great rapport across the city of Magnolia.

"What is it?" Curious as he was, Lucy appreciated the concern in his voice. He sounded genuine in his ask of worry.

"I don't think you really want to hear my lamenting about the struggles of my current predicament." Brown eyes looked for blonde as she casted them towards the playground. Allison was found.

A toothy grin that he wore so well settled on his ashy face. "Try me."

 _Cheeky…_ Lucy thought to herself. What an enigma this Natsu Dragneel was. They hadn't even known one another a day and already he was keen on making his presence known. Was this the start of a friendship? She was lacking in the friendship department. Having some friends would do her well, especially in a city of this magnitude.

"As exciting as starting a new adventure may be, there are direct consequences. And fall backs that really hurdle the excitement of the journey." Natsu offered an ached eye brow as his initial response.

"Such as?"

"A job, Natsu. I can't possibly think to support Allison and myself on the savings I've put together in the last year. I need a sufficient income."

Opening his mouth, but no words to say, Natsu formed a thin line on his lips. A surly smile made way to the corners of Lucy's lips. Granted it had only been one day, but the urgency in this situation was precedent. She could not afford to be as irresponsible as she was in the past, especially with Allison relying on her for support and stability.

"A job, huh?" He scratched the back of his head, as if he was putting in some thought.

"You say you're looking for a job, Lucy?"

Said girl nearly jumped out of her skin as Mira's timely appearance scared her half to death. The waitress, who had disappeared for the conversation, had so conveniently made her way back to the duo.

Sighing, she nodded.

"Say, Mira? You know anywhere hiring?"

Was it wrong for Lucy to hope for something as Natsu posed the question. But hope was fickle as Mira shook her head. _Well, so much for that._

"Wait… now that I think about it…"

Mira's words caught both hers and Natsu's attention as they shared a questioning glance.

A rather elated and euphoric smile had reached the pale lips of the snow haired beauty as blue eyes glossed over with a jubilant gleam. Normally, Lucy would be put off by such an extreme change in behavior. Smiles that expressive usually meant trouble from where she came from.

"Oh yes! It's perfect!" She clasped her hands together, tilting her head to the side as the smile grew wider than she thought possible. Even Natsu, who had apparently known her the entirety of their lives, was questioning her actions.

"What is, Mira?" Natsu voiced her questions.

"Lucy will work here at Fairy Diner!"

Jaws dropped to the counter as Mira squealed in delight.

"Lucy… working here?" Natsu repeating Mira's proposition made it seem like a dream almost.

Mira steeled herself in absolute as a furrow in her brows expressed her seriousness in the idea. "Of course! Heaven knows we could use the help! Between Kinana, Cana, the boys in the back, Laxus, and myself, we could use more hands to run this place."

Two fingers arose from Mira's hand and she winked. "It is a proposition that benefits us both. So what do you say, Lucy? Will you help us?"

Lucy didn't know what to say as her brown eyes shifted between Natsu and Mira. Her mouth was parted open slightly as she her mind moved through the advantages and disadvantages of this suddenly offered proposition.

"Hold on, Mira! Will Laxus be okay with this? I don't want him sending Lucy away just because you came up with the idea sporadically. I don't care if you're his wife, Laxus is a prick and does what he wants. I ain't letting you subject Lucy to that cruelty!"

Natsu's words left her stunned as she didn't know whether to be touched or suspicious of his sudden protectiveness with her.

Also, this Laxus character seemed like a real charmer…

"Oh hush you! I will deal with Laxus and that foul attitude of his. Don't you worry about his say. Besides, do you see him out here, catering to the needs of our guests?"

A blank stare and Mira huffed. "Exactly. Laxus knows to trust my better judgement. And my better judgement tells me that Lucy will be the perfect addition to our little family here at Fairy Diner!"

 _Family?_

She admired Mira's confidence and he ability to be so sure of herself. It was something Lucy hoped to grow on as she didn't always have the utmost confidence in her decisions. Now that she was living and providing for two, her decisions were much more cautious.

Allison was still playing out in the playground, running around the obstacle course with her hands stretched out wide as the young child with the cowboy hat was reaching for her.

Lucy felt scrutinized under the gazes of her two new… friends? Would Natsu and Mira be considered friends? She did say she could use all the friends she could get. Her list of companions ended at one line.

"So Lucy? What do you think?"

She opened her mouth again, and it did seem like an appealing offer… It was close to their apartment and while the pay may have not been very much, taking money home every night through tips would be convenient. Paying the bills and providing for her daughter would come easier.

 _Speaking of Allison._

The weight of her hanging head felt heavy on her shoulders. Dejection hit her as her predicament with her daughter weighed on what would have been a rather easy decision.

"What is it, Lucy?" There was that over concern from the man that she had just met. Lucy wondered if it was in his personality and moral to be as concerned as he was for a mere stranger.

A sad smile and Lucy spoke. "I truly do appreciate the offer Mira. It is most kind of you to offer me a job on the spot without even looking into my credentials and experience."

"But, it's impossible for me to have a job as I don't have anyone to watch after Allison while I would be away at work. I don't have the means to pay for a babysitter or daycare at the moment. And she's still too young for school." Natsu frowned, crossing his arms in his seat. He looked whimsical almost, as if to find a solution to her problem.

Mira's eyes found Allison at the playground and then turned back to Lucy. Her eyes were unreadable as a thoughtful look crossed the shadows of her countenance. She narrowed her eyes slightly, tapping a finger to her chin.

But no sooner, the tapping at her chin stopped as her eyes glowed under the dim lighting of the drafty restaurant and a grin that rivaled her daughter's on Christmas unveiled.

"I have an idea!" Lucy leaned in, "Bring Allison with you!"

 _Umm, what?_

Mira giggled as she saw through the confusion that overtook Lucy's demeanor. "Yes, you heard me correctly. Bring Allison with you!"

"To work?" The blonde asked, in a shocked whisper.

Which was followed by a strong nod. "Yes! We have a diverse group of employees here and I'm sure they can all help in the future! Most of our employees are rather good with children."

Natsu followed Mira's statement with a snort. "Do you not remember Cana's tendencies with Wendy? She practically scarred the poor girl! And one look at Laxus would send the kid screaming."

 _That wasn't quite promising._

A glower from Mira had Natsu quiet his tongue quickly.

"Ignoring Natsu's contest, yes, bring Allison! Obviously, it will be until you find yourself with enough money to provide a babysitter for her, but until then, you can bring her! She seems to be a fan of the playground and we have plenty of kids that come through Fairy Diner, even some regulars! She would make friends very quickly!"

The offer was tempting, Lucy thought. Though, Natsu's side tad bit about this Cana person made her wary. And this Laxus was revealing to be a more troublesome person than she hoped.

"Hey! I'm not saying I'm against it!" He argued, surprising Lucy. "I think it would be pretty damn awesome for her to work here! I just don't want you promising her anything without knowing in confidence that she will be given what you promised."

The heat crawled back to her cheeks and now the back of her neck.

"What I say goes. Laxus be damned." Such confidence. "So, what do you say, Lucy? Deal?"

To her left, Allison was running around the playground without a care in the world. Her kindness and strength proved to be her strongest traits so far in this journey they have encountered so early in her childhood.

To her right, the irony of the onyx colored eyes gleamed in anticipation. The warm fire that seemed so controlled danced with a sway as it burned to a brighter red. His zeal and charm uplifted his already vibrant personality and gave Lucy _hope_. It was strange to think, but this man with a carefree and rather reckless spirit had given her not only hope, but ignited that _resilience_ in her.

And to the front of her, a gentle soul with kind, blue eyes that offered her, her first opportunity to make a living for not only herself and her daughter. She didn't think about it until now, but Mira's presence had made Lucy feel like _home_. She wasn't sure if it was the motherliness in her personality or the kindness she so easily gave, but it felt like home.

It was then that Lucy realized her answer.

"When do I start?"

 **A/N: Sheesh, this definitely wrote itself! This was definitely supposed to be a lot shorter than 17 pages, but with the content of the chapter, it warranted this length. Most chapters will definitely not be this long! I'm planning on making them 5-7 pages each. 10 my maximum.**

 **This chapter was very much Lucy centric and delved into the thoughts of our favorite celestial mage! You're going to see a lot of back and forth between Natsu and Lucy, and eventually see POV's from other major characters that are taking a large role in this story. Though, it is mostly focused around Natsu and Lucy.**

 **Anyway! Onto the chapter, Lucy has made her official introduction to the story. Like I said above, this chapter wrote itself. I really wanted to focus on the inner monologue of Lucy and her cryptic thoughts on the journey she was heading too. I really love the brotp of Gray and Lucy, hence why it took a significant part of the chapter up. That relationship is going to be important in this story, so if you're a fan like I am, more is to come! Of course NaLu will be the main pairing, but that doesn't discredit the other relationships I want to develop in this story.**

 **I hope you are all liking Allison Heartfilia so far! In creating her character, I tried to balance the personality mostly on Lucy's part, but also incorporate some of her father's traits, despite him not being around. Why is he around? Well, I guess you will just have to find out, won't you? Are there guesses yet on who the father is? I'm curious to see if your minds are already thinking that far ahead!**

 **More than anything though, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The amount of support I have received so far is overwhelming and I hope I can continue to deliver in a way that is satisfying to you all. Please _review_ as they encourage me to really write this story. Whether it's a comment, question, or just something you noticed, they are all appreciated!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Dark Waffle**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I am not dead. I'm just half way there.**

 **Lol, just kidding. Hello everyone! Sorry for the EXTREMELY late update. Senior year in college kind of just hit me like a lay of bricks. One day everything was fine and dandy, and then BAM. Next thing you know I'm drowning in my three jobs, school work, club activities, and applications for nursing and grad school. But, you don't need to listen to my ramblings. Point is, I'm back.**

 **And I apologize once more for such a long time in between updates! I've made the point to make this chapter longer than what I wanted the chapters to be to accommodate for the time period gone. I won't spend more time on my endless rambles.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

 **I don't own** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **nor it's contents.**

 _ **From Across the Hall**_

 _ **-O-**_

 _ **Chapter 3: Hard Days Work**_

 _You can do this._

 _You can do this._

 _Relax, Lucy. You_ _ **can**_ _do this._

That was the mantra that she had been repeating to herself for the last hour or so. A few days had passed since Lucy had formally met Mira and Gray and was offered the opportunity to work at Fairy Diner. As excited as she was, she was also anxious.

Not that this wasn't her first job, but this was her first job without a familiar face around. Magnolia was still completely new to Lucy, and without the help of her new friends, she'd be a lost cause. Not to mention, they had been completely enthralled by Allison and loved having her around. It made it easier for Lucy in the long run.

"Mommy! Are we going back with Auntie Mira today!?"

Allison came bursting through the door with a grin. Her tiny backpack was in her hands as a jacket was fit snug around her body. Her bright, blue eyes shone with excitement as she zipped up the bag in her hand.

Lucy sighed at the mention of the new nickname her daughter had for the pseudo owner of Fairy Diner. It had happened the other day after she had picked up her new uniform. She had been having a conversation with Mira when Allison had come back from the playground and began a new conversation. Halfway through the conversation, she dropped the name.

At first, Lucy was mortified. Calling Aquarius and Virgo "Auntie" was one thing, but giving that name to someone they hadn't known too long was embarrassing.

Luckily, Mira was accepting of it and indulged herself.

It was one less thing that she had to worry about.

"Yes. Now, get your coat on. I don't want you catching a cold."

Allison nodded with a smile as she ran off into the living room.

Reaching for her keys, Lucy full of excitement and apprehension. This was the first step of Lucy's and Allison's new life. Moving had been the first feat, finding a new job, the second. But this was the start. This was where Lucy would begin to make strides for not only her daughter, but herself.

"Mommy! I'm ready!"

Reaching out a hand to Allison, Lucy tightened her grip on her daughter, locking the apartment door behind them. She casted a quick glance at the door across the hall, but as quick as it came, it disappeared just as fast.

The trip to the diner didn't take too long as they spotted the infamous building straight ahead. Lucy could feel the nerves in her body tighten, the uncertainty settling in the pit of her stomach. Mind racing with the unexpected, she remained confident in her stature. If there was one thing that she had learned as a Heartfilia it was to stand tall and stay prideful. She would remain utterly confident in herself.

When they entered the diner, it was already in full swing of activity. Faces that Lucy had begun to familiarize herself with were in her line of vision. Some greeted her with a nod or smiles, others had casted her a glance, eyes looking up then down.

 _So typical._

Allison was already beginning to pull away from her, her small frame leaning towards the playground outside full of children. But Lucy would not give in to the temptation of her daughter's infamous puppy eyes and the quivering of the lip. A tight hold on her small hand and her daughter's body slumped. A smirk of victory reached her lips.

"Oh, Lucy! You're here!" Called woman found Mira standing in her uniform with a tray of food in her hands. She turned red on sight as more eyes fell on her.

"Good morning, Mira!"

"Hi Auntie Mira!" The blue eyed Heartfilia jumped as she waved with a bright smile encased on her face. The white haired maiden smiled sweetly.

"Good morning, sweetheart." In a flash, Mira had set out all the plates of food on the bar line, guests new and old thanking the bar maiden for her delivery.

It was kind of amazing how good she was at her job.

"You ready to start, Lucy?"

Taking a moment to recollect her thoughts, Lucy gave a confident smile as her eyes burned with determination. "You betcha!"

Kneeling down to fix Allison's outfit, Lucy pulled Allison's backpack off her back. "Alright, honey. Mommy has to work now so you can go to the playground. If anything happens, just come back inside okay? But don't try to ask mommy for too much because she needs to work."

Nodding her head in understanding, the youngest Heartfilia threw her arms around her mom. "Good luck on your first day, Mommy!"

Lucy smiled as she gave a chaste kiss on the top of her daughter's head. Allison ran off towards the playground and the blonde turned her attention towards the white haired maiden on the other side.

"Alright, Lucy. I'm going to go over things quickly. We don't have time for me to go over things slowly with you. You got that?" Lucy nodded with a determined stare.

Mira smiled wickedly. "Great. Let's get to it."

 _ **-O-**_

After the morning rush, Lucy sat, releasing a heavy sigh. She commended Mira for the work she did. Watching the snow haired maiden from the other side of the counter, she did it so flawlessly. Mira hardly even broke a sweat.

Lucy held high respect for the older woman. She made it look like a walk in the park. Though she was hot on her tail, Lucy was having a hard time just keeping up. But, the hardest part of the day wasn't even over.

She had yet to meet Mira's husband, Laxus. From what she could gather, he was somewhat of a mute, and only really spoke when he needed too. He also was rumored to have quite the temper and rarely listened to opinions of others. Apparently, he had quite the rebellious streak when he was younger, but has since then matured.

Of course she had heard all this from Natsu. Lucy couldn't really tell whether his bias was right or wrong. From what she had heard from others around her, and by others she means the Fairy Tail Diner regulars, Laxus was a stubborn fool who was wrapped around Mira's finger. She didn't know whether she should be anxious for their initial meeting or not.

"Great job, Lucy!"

The blonde looked up to Mira smiling down at her with a glass of water in her hand. She smiled at the white haired maiden as she reached for the glass in her hands.

"Thanks… I never imagined it would get this busy. It's insane how it's only a few of you working at a time!" Mira giggled as she sat down next to her.

"Well, we manage somehow. We've all become very good at handling business here. But, you've done such a great job today! I'm impressed! I would have never thought you didn't have experience before."

Lucy blushed, her cheeks growing hot. She owed her experience to Aquarius, who engrained the importance of hard work into her. After leaving home, Lucy realized the true meaning of hard work and earning your own keep. Especially with a daughter to look after, she had taken initiative to better herself at whatever job she could find.

"I just do as I'm told and hope I do it right." Mira smiled as she padded Lucy down on the head.

"Well, you're doing a great job! Keep it up!" Lucy offered another smile in return as Mira returned to the front. She sighed again, looking down at her hands.

 _Day 1, Lucy. Move forward from here._

Standing up confident and with a look of fierce determination, Lucy walked back into the diner, prepared for the late lunch rush that Mira had warned her about.

Speaking of lunch time…

Lucy's eyes looked out towards the playground that her daughter had been in for a majority of the morning. Allison was standing off to the side, staring out at the city with her bright, blue eyes. Though her daughter was young, she had inherited Lucy's sense of adventure. It was her own fault really. Lucy indulged her with stories of perilous, yet exciting adventures since her daughter's birth. Every night, the oldest Heartfilia shared or created a story to put her daughter to sleep.

And every night, with bright, doe eyes, Allison would listen.

It was time for Allison to come in and have her lunch while also reading the next chapter in her favorite book. Coming from behind the counter, Lucy walked towards the playground on the other side of the restaurant.

"Allison, honey! Time to come in for lunch!"

The young blonde shifted her gaze towards her mother with a smile. Next to her, was the young girl in the cowgirl's hat that had become great friends with her daughter in the last few days.

"Coming Mommy!"

Allison reached for her backpack next to her and ran towards Lucy. The dark haired girl came right behind her.

"Hi Ms. Heartfilia!"

Lucy smiled at her daughter's new friend. "Hi there Asuka. How are you doing today?"

"Great! Thanks for letting me play with Ally today!"

"It was super fun, right Asuka!" Allison and Asuka nodded at each other with smiles wide on their faces.

"I'm glad to hear. But Allison has to come in and eat now, okay? Say bye to Asuka, honey."

The blue eyed girl waved goodbye to her friend and followed her mother back inside. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy watched as the young Asuka ran to her parents that were sitting in the corner of the restaurant. Asuka's parents, Bisca and Alzack Connell were from the western part of Fiore. It was easy to tell they were from the west as they took on a more traditional look from the infamous Wild, Wild West theme. But, they were very sweet and their daughter was equally as sweet.

Allison jumped onto her usual bar stool seat at the rail and took her book out of her backpack. Lucy already placed the order for her daughter and watched as she began to read away at the chapter book in her hands.

"She's quite the reader, isn't she?" Mira asked as she came up to Lucy.

"Partially my fault, really. I've loved books my entire life. My mother made sure to read me bedtime stories every night before bed. It's something I do with Allison now, and she's hooked."

"Well, I can't say that's necessarily a bad thing, right? Isn't it every parent's dream for their child to have their kid's nose in a book rather than in a phone?" Lucy chuckled and reached for the ticket on the window.

"I guess so. Allison loves reading as much as she loves her sweets. It's difficult to get her to do her chores when she's into what she's reading."

"Well, I would take it as a blessing, Lucy. Not many kids are sitting down at bar rails, reading chaptered books at 4 years old." Mira smiled then walked towards a pair of men that had just sat the bar rail.

Lucy dropped off Allison's food in front of her, but her daughter hardly paid much attention as she was engrossed into her book. Before she could comment, Mira called for Lucy as it looked like their lunch rush was about to start.

"Who's the looker, Mira?"

"This pretty lady is definitely new! These days you only see Cana, Laki, or yourself hanging around here!"

Lucy blushed immediately and Mira shot a glare to the two older gentlemen sitting at the bar seats. Both were much older in age as one was balding and the other had heavy bags under his eyes. The older man with the heavy bags was chastised by Mira immediately when she noticed the pipe in his mouth.

"Wakaba! How many times must I tell you no smoking! Besides, there are children in here!" Three pairs of eyes wondered over towards the oblivious Heartfilia who had her nose in her book.

Lucy thanked Mira for her interjection or else she would have done it herself.

"Ah, sorry Mira."

"So, who's the pretty lady?" Lucy could hear them whispering about her again as she rolled the silverware. The blush on her face grew even more immensely.

"Hush now, you old pervert." As much as she wanted to glare and put one of these forks in the man's eye, she knew she had to refrain herself. Chills down her spine as she thought about the disgusting, lustful man that she had been around her entire life. Vultures, all of them. They use to surround her mom like she was nothing more than meat on the table.

If it wasn't for her father and his ties to her, they could have very well devoured her.

As she grew older, the stares never stopped.

"My name is Lucy. Nice to meet you both." Both men jumped in surprise as if they were caught. But, their whisperings weren't very low to begin with. The red tinge on their cheeks indicated their embarrassment.

"Oh don't pay any attention to them, Lucy. They are just old perverts that still hang around here."

" _Mira!_ " In unison, they flushed. She couldn't hold back her laughter.

The older Heartfilia sweat dropped. _It was like Mira was the oldest and she was chastising two young, prepubescent boys._

"This is Macao, and this is Wakaba." The white haired maiden started, "As I said, don't pay any mind to them."

"We aren't as bad as she's making us out to be!" The balding man said, "Ahem, as Mira was saying. I'm Macao, and this is Wakaba. Pleasure to meet you, Lucy!"

Lucy smiled, waving a hello. "And this is my daughter, Allison. Honey, say hello." The young blonde looked up from her book, a small glare wondering why her mom decided to disrupt her reading when she did.

Wakaba's and Macao's eyes went wide as they shifted their gazes between both Lucy and Allison. Their mouths dropped and inwardly, Lucy smirked. _That should get them off my back._

"Hello." Allison greeted with a quick smile, but then quickly went back to her book, not caring what the two gentlemen's response was.

" _Daughter!?_ " They both shouted.

Mira shot them a look. "Don't be rude, you two!"

Lucy couldn't help but chuckle. _But, Mira-san. You did the same thing._

"Are ya sure? You two look like you could be-"

"Sisters?" Lucy was sure she'd be a lot better off with how many times she has heard that phrase. It was just great genes that her daughter happened to look like her replica. As much as it pained her to think, with whatever genetics she came down with, Allison was going to be blessed with her looks. Her father was quite the looker.

"Yeah! Sisters definitely!" It sounded almost like they were trying to fish for a compliment for her.

Mira rolled her eyes, but also chuckled shortly after. Confused as to why Mira would pass on such behavior, Lucy concluded that the snow white maiden must had known these gentlemen for some time now. Despite their ridiculous comments, she could tell that they meant no harm.

"Well, thank you."

"Her kid can't be that much younger than yours, right Macao?" Wakaba asked and Macao _hmmed_ , putting a finger to his chin.

"Allison's 4." Lucy responded as she took the plate away from the guest sitting next to Macao.

"4?!" Both replied with their mouths wide open.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh at their reaction. Allison's maturity deceives the true nature of her age, even though the young Heartfilia really is a four-year-old at heart. With all the two have endured, especially Ally in her short life, it's no wonder that she seems older then what she really is.

"Romeo is almost 13, you idiot Wakaba! Definitely not her kid's age and nowhere near it!" Macao replied and Wakaba narrowed his already slit eyes.

The two began to argue back and forth, causing Allison to tear her eyes away from her book and giggle at the two aging men. Both stopped immediately at the sound of her giggle and looked at the child.

"You two misters are pretty funny! Really loud, but funny!" She smiled and Lucy's mouth dropped, horrified.

When was her daughter ever going to learn!?

"Allison Heartfilia!" At the sound of her name, the young bright eyed girl tried to hide in her shoulders. "You know better than to say things like that. What has auntie Aquarius taught you?"

The child went pale white and Lucy sighed. She looked over at the two men, who were now laughing.

"Oh Lucy, don't be so hard on her. These old geezers over here are rather brash and loud." Mira attempted to smooth over the atmosphere with her motherly touch and Macao leaned in on the table and smiled.

"Mira's not wrong, Miss Lucy. We have been around a long time, and we are always this type of loud. You're kid just got a lot of spunk to call us out! Reminds me of a few kids we know."

Macao and Wakaba shared a grin with one another and Lucy was suddenly confused. Mira joined in their grinning as she nodded. "Oh absolutely."

With Lucy lost in confusion with their conversation, Allison took advantage of the situation and tried to hide away from her mother's wrath. But before she could even hop off the seat, Lucy put a hand on her small one. Allison looked up with pleading eyes.

"Oh no, young lady. You will stay here in this seat and read for an extra 30 minutes." Lucy and Allison shared a look and the young Heartfilia sighed and begrudgingly opened her book with a pout.

With a job well done under her belt, she turned back towards the trio and suddenly stopped at their faces of awe. Macao's jaw practically hit the ground as his eyes were popping out of his.

"What?" She asked.

"You know Lucy, for someone as young as you are, you have shown to be a really great mother so far. That's hard to see these days." Mira commented.

Lucy blushed. "Well, I merely go off of the lessons that my mother has taught me over the years."

"I could never get Romeo to sit still for a damn minute! How the hell- I mean heck was she able to do that?!" Macao received two harsh glares, one from Mira and the other from Lucy.

 _Don't you dare curse in front of that child._

Mira's eyes were gleaming in the sunlight, but her glare was fierce as she once was.

"Good afternoon, everyone!"

The tension was broken in a matter of seconds as Lucy's eyes landed on the new voice that joined the conversation. Macao and Wakaba greeted the newcomer with bright grins and a tilt of the head.

"Howdy, Levy!"

"How ya doing, Levy?"

The stranger – _Levy_ \- was a petite, young woman with beautiful charcoal blue hair that was held back by a stylish orange bandana that matched her outfit quite well. She had on red glasses and placed a stack of books right next to Allison. Her daughter's eyes went to the books and grew slightly.

"Oh Levy! Welcome back!" Mira gleamed and Lucy raised a brow. She took a peak at the books in her collection. Jane Austen, Fitzgerald, and other of her favorites part of her collection. Lucy was itching to see the titles she had collected.

"Hi Mira! Long time no see!" The young woman's eyes shifted towards the blonde and she blinked. Lucy smiled awkwardly. Mira giggled. "Levy's" eyes went down to her daughter and her brows rose.

"Magic Tree House books, huh? That's pretty impressive for someone young like you."

Levy offered a smile to Allison, who looked up from her book. Her blue eyes shifted immediately to Lucy. The blonde smiled and nodded her head, encouraging the conversation. Unnoticed to Lucy, Levy's eyes went back and forth rather quickly.

"I really like to read. I think these books are really cool!"

The petite woman – Levy - giggled as Allison's shy smile grew.

"I think those books are really fun too." She blinked and Allison grinned.

"Are those your books, Miss?"

The stranger smiled. "Yes. I work at the library, so I get to take a lot of books home with me."

"You have quite the extensive collection." Shutting her mouth quickly, Lucy internally cursed.

Now why did she have to go and open her mouth?

"I mean, I just noticed Austen and Fitzgerald. Those are instant classics. Not just anyone will read those titles, nor authors unless they understand the diction and purpose of their writing." Lucy defended and Levy's eyes went wide.

Allison cocked her head to the side.

"Are you a fan of old literature?" Levy asked.

"Am I ever. Austen, Bronte, Gaskell, Butler. They all have wonderful stories to tell! Some have been a bit too dark for my taste, but the way they have perfectly woven their words together and crafted them into endless tales. Not many people can understand the art and mastery behind their words!"

Levy's eyes grew along with her smile. She clasped her hands together and practically jumped off the bar stool, surprising Mira, Macao, and Wakaba (oops, they were still there, weren't they?).

 _And Lucy definitely had a job to do. Not talk to a stranger about her addiction to classic literature._

"You love Bronte?! I have read most of her pieces!" Lucy could hear Mira giggle in the background, saying something to Wakaba and Macao. Allison was watching the conversation intently. "And you know the other author's too! It's so difficult to find others who love these authors outside of teenagers who are required to read them in their classes."

"That's where I was introduced to them. And continued reading their books since then." Lucy's excitement rose as she connected with this stranger who loved the classics as much as she did.

"Girl! Where have you been all my life!" Levy jumped up from her seat and smacked her hands on the table, making Allison jump. "You're my new best friend! My name's Levy McGarden, but you can just call me Levy!"

 _New… best friend?_

"Oh! Umm, my name's Lucy Heartfilia, but you can just call me Lucy." She smiled and stretched her hand out towards her daughter. "And this is Allison, my daughter."

Levy looked down towards the young Heartfilia and smiled. Putting her hands on her knees, Levy lowered herself to be at eye level with Allison. "Hi there, sweetheart! My name is Levy and it's very nice to meet you."

Allison hid behind her book at first, but gradually put it down and returned the smile. "Hi Miss Levy!"

"Looks like the reading gene was passed down because I can see that someone likes to read, hmm?" Ally's eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously with a grin so big.

"Mommy always tells me the best stories! Especially before bed time!"

Lucy watched as her new… friend? sat and listened to her daughter ramble on about her stories. She had been waiting for it; for the _Wow, you are so young! You could be sisters!_

But Levy had yet to say it. In fact, she didn't even blink at the introduction. The stark similarities between Allison and herself made it obvious that they were related. How? No one would know unless told.

"I bet your mom is the best story teller, huh?"

Lucy blushed at Levy's comment. But Allison just continued to nod as she raved on about her mother.

"Okay, honey. That's enough. You can continue playing outside now."

The book fell to the table instantly, the grin lighting up her face. "YAY. It was nice meeting you Miss Levy! Bye bye now!"

She jumped off the stool and ran off towards the playground with Lucy calling out to her. "Allison! Don't run through the restaurant!" but it was no use as the young blonde was already out the door, playing with other children.

"Heh, no matter how mature a kid might be, they're still kids." Macao commented as he leaned against the table.

"She moved so fast. I barely saw the kid run out!" Wakaba followed as he began to light his cigar. Mira scowled and smacked the lighter away from his hand. She pulled the cigar from his mouth and scolded him.

"What did I say about that filthy habit of yours? Honestly, Wakaba. You are going to dig yourself into an early grave. You have a family to think about." Both Lucy and Levy chuckled. Watching Mira scold these two grown men was like watching a mother scold their children for eating too much candy.

"Dammit woman! You're always making me feel bad about the things I do!"

"Only because I care! Now, put it away!" Mira threw the cigar back at him and Macao snickered.

"Always the slave driver, aren't ya Mira?"

Mira gave a sharp look in Macao's direction, but then smirked. "Now, you know that title belongs to Erza."

Both grown men paled instantly and Lucy was confused. Who was this Erza and why did these grown, adult men pale at the mention of her name?

"Your daughter has quite the spirit, doesn't she?" Lucy turned her attention back towards Levy and couldn't help but laugh.

"I guess you could put it that way. I can't keep up with her and I'm not even old yet!"

Both women laughed. "I'd imagine kids make you feel that way. I don't work with kids too often, but there are always so many here at the Diner that I feel like I have so many of my own."

Now that she thought about it, Lucy did notice there was always _someone_ for Ally to play with at the playground. There were quite a few children that run amuck the restaurant. It was probably just the atmosphere of the place, she concluded.

"One is enough for right now." Levy joined in her laughter and she put a hand under her chin.

"So, you must be new in town I'd imagine?" The blonde sighed. Was it that obvious? She tried to make it seem like she had become accustomed to the city and its prosperous life, but coming from a small town didn't help her case. She was still always asking questions. Poor Mira was probably sick of her by now.

She nodded. "Yes. I just moved from Hargeon."

"That trader town in the East? Wow, you've come a long ways!" Huh, Gray had said the same thing, Lucy thought to herself. She wondered if they knew one another? Or if she knew Natsu?

Chances were high. It seemed that no matter the size of this town, everyone was connected in some way. Lucy found it interesting how it ended up like this, working in a Diner where she had been introduced to a fair amount of people in such little time. Back in her hometown, this would have never occurred.

"It was quite the trip, but we're happy to be here." Her chocolate brown eyes gazed out towards the playground and found Ally playing with other children. She was smiling as she ran around slide, hiding from another little girl who was attempting to chase her down.

"Well welcome! Magnolia truly is the best city to live in! I'm hoping you'll be sticking around for a while?" Was this another friend invitation? Lucy was touched. The speed in which she was gaining friends was incredible. Natsu, Gray, Mira, the Connells, now Levy… this was all very new for Lucy.

"That's the plan. I would like to stay in Magnolia if possible. I'm still exhausted from my road trip from Hargeon. I want to avoid moves like that for the next few years if possible."

Levy laughed. "I don't blame you!"

There was a job she was supposed to be doing. Attending to the guests and taking their orders during their busiest hour was her task. But instead, she was chatting with her _new friend_. They had so much in common with their love for literature and the English language. Engrossed in their books and stories, Lucy learned that Levy worked at a library and was currently attending Magnolia University, getting her master's in Linguistics and Foreign Culture.

While there was a bit of envy for the blue haired woman, Lucy was fascinated by the material Levy was learning. As she had said before, Lucy loved attending school and learning. It was something she excelled quite well in.

But having Allison made things a bit more difficult than in the past. Until she could provide a stable and healthy life style for her daughter, Lucy was to do all that she could to provide the best for her.

"Here's my number! We should have coffee sometime! And feel free to bring little Ally along! She is just the cutest thing!" Enclosing a piece of paper in her hand, Levy winked. Before strolling out of the Diner, she looked back at Mira, Macao, and Wakaba, waving goodbye.

"Gotta head back to work! See you all later! It was great meeting you, Lu!"

Waving good bye, Lucy turned back to Mira and sent her an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, Mira. I'll get back to work right away."

The snow haired maiden waved her hand with a smile. "Oh Lucy. If I really needed you, I would have pulled you away from Levy. I'm glad you two were able to become friends. I had a feeling the two of you would get along really well."

A warmth overwhelmed her as she clutched her chest. Spite, envy, jealousy, betrayal, pride, were all that she had known and been accustomed to for a majority of her life. She knew kindness from her mother, from some of her old servant workers in the Heartfilia mansion.

But never amongst friends.

Tears threatened to spill over her eyes.

God, she was such a cry baby.

"I-I should really get back to work." Mira and the boys sitting in front of her chuckled as she scurried off to another guest that had joined them.

Putting on a smile, she went back to work and ignored the lingering feeling of loneliness that she had known for a majority of her life.

The day passed rather quickly, and after 7 hours of work for the entire day, Lucy was exhausted.

Watching Mira jump from table to table with a grin on her face, not even breaking a sweat left Lucy's jaw hanging. The amount of energy and resilience this woman had was incredible. It almost matched that of Allison's.

Speaking of her daughter…

Allison was swinging on the arm of Mirajane's younger brother, Elfman. It was easy to tell the resemblance between the two siblings. They both shared that snow white mane. Apparently, there was a younger sister as well, but she was studying in Edolas at the moment.

The initial meeting of Elfman was intimidating. He was a brute of a man, with intimidating dark eyes and he loomed almost over everyone. The blonde expected a forceful, know it all, meat head who ridiculed others. Not a huge cuddle bear who shouted about being a man every five minutes.

 _Lucy was wiping down the counter of the bar, finishing up the rest of her side work so she could go home and rest. Her feet were killing her, her shoulders feeling sore and unrest. The blonde looked for Ally, who was sitting down with another little girl, playing with her toys._

 _Heavy footsteps approached and Lucy tensed. Looking up, she went wide eyed and almost gasped and the sheer size of the man in front of her. His arms had to be bigger than her, and he had a few scars that ran along his face and exposed arms. This man could probably crush her skull within seconds!_

" _Excuse me Miss, but do you work here?"_

… _. That was unexpected._

 _His voice was gruff and deep, just not as intimidating as she imagined._

 _Shifting her gaze to him, she looked eyes with him. He had a strikingly similar hair color to the person who hired her._

" _Umm, yes. This is my first day."_

 _The man arched his brow and crossed his arms. Lucy suddenly felt very small under his piercing gaze._

" _You have to be quite the man to be able to work here."_

 _Quite… the man…?_

 _What the hell?_

 _Lucy frowned slightly at his comment. "Well, I'm definitely not a man."_

" _Elfman?"_

 _They broke their gazes from one another and looked over at the sweet voice of Mirajane Strauss. A candid smile made way and she walked over while wiping away at a glass in her hand._

" _Big Sis! There you are!"_

 _Big… Sis? A light went off in Lucy's mind and her eyes darted back and forth between the two newly discovered siblings. Of course his hair was so familiar looking. You don't just see white hair as pure as that of the Strauss siblings._

" _What brings you here?"_

 _The smile that broke on his face shocked Lucy. It was like he was a completely different person with his change in attitude._

" _How could I not come visit my favorite older sister? It's the manly thing to do!" He puffed out his chest and punched a fist in his hand._

 _There he went with the manly thing again!_

 _Mira giggled. "Should I get you the usual?"_

" _Only a true man could the meal you will prepare for me, Big Sis. Thank you!" Mira giggled once more and nodded._

" _Right, right." She stepped away for a moment before looking Lucy over._

 _Why did Lucy not like that smile?_

" _Oh! Elfman! I have to introduce you to the newest member of our family! Lucy, this is my younger brother Elfman. Eflman, our newest resident of Magnolia, Lucy!"_

 _Lucy gulped as Elfman eyed her. But after mere seconds, a grin broke his curious gaze._

" _Welcome to Magnolia! Where you from, Lucy?" Sighing inwardly, the blonde smiled._

" _Hargeon. And thank you. Magnolia has been wonderful so far!"_

" _Of course! You have to be the best man to live here!" He pumped his bicep and Lucy smiled awkwardly at his comment._

 _What was it with him and being a "man" about everything?_

" _My mommy isn't a man!"_

 _The blonde's eyes almost popped out of her head as she looked down at her daughter, who had her hands fisted at her hips and an absolutely adorable glare etched on her face._

" _Mommy?" The man – Elfman – looked back and forth between Lucy and Allison, his eyes growing wider by the second. "OH. Mommy! You're her kid!"_

 _Lucy almost slapped her forehead._

" _Mommy is a_ _ **girl**_ _, not a boy!" It was cute how her daughter fought for her honor, but also disrespectful to argue with someone older than you without valid reason, especially a stranger._

" _Allison Heartfilia… enough." Said girl looked at her mom with a defeating frown._

" _But mommy! He called you a_ _ **boy**_ _!" She defended._

 _Lucy silenced her with a quick look._

" _I apologize for my daughter. She has quite the mouth on her." Laughing nervously, she hoped that this Elfman was easily forgiving of children. Or else, this would make for awkward and tension filled encounters in the future._

 _What happened next surprised both the Heartfilia's._

 _Elfman kneeled down too little Ally's level and grinned. "You have quite the spunk, kid. You definitely are man enough to hang around here!"_

 _She puffed her cheeks and Allison crossed her arms out in front of her with red cheeks. "I am not a man."_

 _Elfman broke out into boisterous laughter and ruffled the top of her head. He stood up and padded Lucy on the shoulder. Her shoulder nearly came off._

" _You two are definitely manly enough to work here! Welcome to Magnolia!"_

And thus, two hours later, Lucy was watching was Elfman allowed Allison, who did forgive him for calling her a boy, to swing on his insanely huge arms.

Lucy smiled. It was rather adorable seeing how much of a cuddle bear that man was. He was just as much a child as hers was. Mira had said something about Elfman volunteering with kids at the orphanage with another employee of theirs. So the brute of a man was definitely familiar with playing with children.

"How was your first day, Lucy?" Standing next to her, Mira grinned once more.

"Busy… but fun. It's amazing how many people you know, Mira." She commented and the snow haired maiden shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"That's great to hear! You did a great job today! So keep up the hard work!" Lucy blushed, but immediately noticed how Mira's striking blue eyes fell. "As for knowing so many, it just comes with the job. We really try to create a home environment here at Fairy Diner. For some people, this is where their family is. They come here to escape the harsh realities and just be free for a few hours if they can."

"That was what this place was for my siblings and I when we were younger. No matter what we may have been struggling with, this place as always open to us. You could call it our safe haven. And now that I'm older, I want to be able to provide that safe space for everyone else."

Lucy could see it in the diner. She could see how people gathered together, how the conversations grew, how comfortable they all were with one another. The blonde could feel the warmth, the home feeling throughout the day. Whatever Mira was trying to accomplish; you could tell it was working.

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you are doing an amazing job Mira."

Both young ladies shared a warm smile with one another.

It really had only been a few days since Lucy uprooted hers and Allison's life and made the decision to move to Magnolia. But, things had been changing and moving so quickly that it felt like a lifetime already.

The move wasn't easy, and accustoming to an entirely different environment and culture was proving to be difficult, but with the help of her new neighbor and the wonderful people she was given the opportunity to meet, it made every day a little more bearable.

Lucy smiled at the thought of Natsu Dragneel and his outgoing personality and charm. Despite the hectic life he lives, he still offered to help her when she needed it. And watching Allison get use to Natsu was fun too. He wasn't around too much, but when he was, it was definitely interesting.

The lingering chatters and conversations in the diner suddenly lowered as a new presence walked through the door. Lucy looked over at Elfman, who formed a tight smile. Allison must have noticed the sudden change in demeanor because she hopped off Elfman's back and looked at him in confusion.

She turned her gaze back towards Mira, who was now bearing a loving smile on her lips. She followed Mira's eyes to a giant of man that now stood in front of them.

"Why hello sweet heart! Welcome back!"

 _Sweet… heart?_

"… _I ain't letting you subject Lucy to that cruelty!"_

" _Oh hush you! I will deal with Laxus and that foul attitude of his. Don't you worry about his say."_

She gulped as the blonde trailed her gaze.

Standing in front of her was a towering man with broad, muscular shoulders and a deep frown etched on his face. He had unruly blonde hair (slightly lighter than hers and Allison's) that was slicked back with numerous spikes falling down forward. Unlike a typical blonde, his eyes were a burnt orange color. His most identifying feature though wasn't the color of his eyes. It was the lightening shape scar that ran through his right eye. That must have been quite the story to tell, she would imagine.

He looked over her once, twice with his brow slightly arched. There was a thin line on his lips and Lucy felt her stomach churn.

"Who're you?" His voice was deeper than what Lucy imagined. It wasn't gruff like Elfman's, but it was a deep vibration.

Lucy should answer now, shouldn't she?

"Oh! Hi! I'm Lucy Heartfilia!" Even if she didn't feel confident, and scrutinized under his gaze, she wasn't going to let herself falter under his intimidation. She was a Heartfilia after all. "And you are?"

"Laxus Dreyar." She could tell he was surprised by her question. Does he assume that people just know him? That was quite arrogant of him.

"This is the young woman I was telling you about the other night, remember honey? She's had a really great day so far!" Mira clapped her hands together. The stark difference in personality between Mirajane Strauss and her husband was jaw dropping. Guess it just reiterated the opposites attract theory.

"You're not originally from Magnolia, right?"

Lucy shook her head. "Nope. I'm from Hargeon."

Another arched brow. "You're a far way from home."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. This was going to be a question asked from now on, wasn't it? It was starting to annoy her.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"Look Blondie. My wife may have hired you, but I still have a say in what goes on in my restaurant. Don't think that this is just another half ass job. I expect hard work from you."

 _Blond- Blondie!?_

 _He was blond too!_

Her blood boiled at his statement. Natsu did make a comment about this Laxus Dreyar being a piece of work to her the other day.

" _Look, Lucy. Laxus is an arrogant piece of shit who has a stick so far up his ass, you could probably see it in his throat." Natsu set Lucy's groceries bags on the counter of her apartment. She had half a mind to reprimand him for his vulgar use of language, but luckily Allison wasn't listening as she was watching TV in the other room._

" _Not an image I would like in my head. Thanks for that Natsu."_

 _He grinned and Lucy couldn't help but shake her head at him and his wild antics._

" _ANYWAY! Yeah, don't let his 'intimidating' ass get to you. He may act like a selfish, know it all, jerk but one look from Mira and he turns his tail and runs off. So if he starts giving you a hard time, just look to Mira for help!"_

 _Lucy chuckled._

 _Laxus couldn't be that bad, could he?_

She refrained from lashing out at him. But that didn't stop Lucy from letting her angry show. She glared at him and bit down on her lip.

 _Who was he to call her blondie, anyway? He didn't know her!_

"Whoa! That's a cool scar, Mr.!"

And just like that, the tension almost dissipated. Both adults were broken out of their locked trance and Allison strolled over with bright, fascinated blue eyes.

Laxus moved his eyes carefully down from Lucy to her daughter, narrowing them slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mira staring quietly; almost like if she was waiting for an opportunity. Opportunity for what exactly?

"How'd you get it? Did ya fight someone? Did ya kill them?"

Mira, Elfman, Laxus, and Lucy's eyes all went wide and the oldest Heartfilia immediately swooped in and picked up her child.

" _Allison!_ " The young blonde cringed at the authoritative tone Lucy had taken.

Elfman erupted into a series of boisterous laughter as he fell to the floor. That was followed by Mira's giggles as she put a hand to her mouth. The rest of the diner, that was not so subtly listening in on the conversation, began to chuckle as well.

"You have to be a MAN to be able to talk to Laxus like that!" Elfman commented. Lucy watched as the blond haired man shot a glare at his brother in law.

"Why is everyone laughing? Does that mean that you killed someone?!" Her eyes went wide.

 _Oh for the love of…_

Lucy sighed as she put a hand to her forehead.

"Allison. Enough."

The young, blue eyed girl pouted and began playing with her hands. Sheepishly, she looked up at her, then towards the man who was essentially her boss.

The brown eyed woman paled.

 _I'm going to get fired, aren't I?_

"I'm just asking… I think the scars pretty cool."

She could hear Mira draw out an _aww._

That definitely wasn't helping the situation.

"How many times have we talked about this, Ally? You have to be mindful of others. We have to be careful on how we ask questions." Lucy watched Laxus raise a brow out of the corner of her eye.

"So this is the kid, huh?"

The owner of the diner leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at Ally. Lucy glared and pulled her daughter away slightly, her mother instincts surging. She didn't care if this was her boss. Hell would freeze over before she allowed anyone to harm her daughter.

"Her name is Allison. And I apologize for the questions. She has quite the mouth and we're working on controlling it." Instead of the sympathy she shared with others, Lucy was monotonous. It was fine if he didn't want to be friends. Lucy had more than she had bargained for anyway.

"Kid reminds me of a certain pink haired idiot." He muttered and immediately knew he was referring to none other than her neighbor, Natsu Dragneel.

Before she could comment to his insult, Lucy went wide eyed at the small smirk that appeared on his lips.

"I didn't kill anyone to get this scar."

Lucy blinked.

Allison's head popped from around her embrace as she tried to wiggle her way out of her mother's grasp. "Really?! Then whatcha do?!"

"Guess that's a story for another time, kid."

The youngest Heartfilia pouted as she tried to cross her arms. "What?! That's no fair, Mr. Bolt!"

 _Mr… Bolt?!_

 _Where did Ally come up with all these names?_

Mira tried to stifle her laughter, but it was impossible at this point as even Lucy fell into Allison's charm. Elfman was still recovering from her last comment, but stood up and ruffled her daughter's hair.

"Your daughter is the MAN, Lucy!"

Allison threw him a frown and even Laxus shook his head at her, the smirk still playing on his lips.

"Oh come one, _Mr. Bolt._ You don't want to disappoint, do you?" Mira asked and she stifled another laugh. Laxus glared at his wife and crossed his arms.

"Like I said, story for another day."

"You promise!?" Ally perked up again, and oh no. She was staring down the older man with her sad yet adorable blue puppy eyes. Those eyes were impossible to shy away from. Even Lucy herself found herself falling for them from time to time.

Mira and Elfman looked at Laxus with expecting eyes and the man seemed in distress.

 _Yep, Ally will do that to you._

He gulped and sighed, running a hand through his unruly golden locks.

"Yes, I promise."

Her face broke in half with the grin that stretched from one end to another.

"YAY!"

She jumped out of her mother's arms and jumped. What it must be to be 4 and young. Lucy chuckled as her daughter danced in place. Elfman pulled her up and put her over his shoulders.

"Let's go on a celebratory horsey ride!" And they went off galloping throughout the diner.

"Yay! Go horsey go!"

"Oh my god! How cute! I need pictures!"

And Mira sped off, running towards her purse to grab her phone and snap photos of her younger brother and Lucy's daughter. It sent a smile to her face to see these adults, these strangers who just walked into hers and Allison's life, to accept them with such ease.

Laxus stared at them and dare she say it? A threatening smile almost appeared on his lips. Lucy had a feeling that he didn't smile too much.

"You know… she is going to hold you to that promise." He stared down at her, his eyes flickering back to his brother in law and her daughter. "She loves stories. It's her most favorite thing."

"It's not much of a story to tell." It was hardly noticeable, and if you didn't listen well enough, you probably missed it. But, Lucy could hear the slightest bit of bitterness in his tone.

There was always a story to tell. Everyone had one.

"So you say… Ally would say different."

"She is definitely your daughter." He muttered as he watched Mira chasing down her brother and Lucy's daughter with a phone in her hand. The diner was filled with laughter and chatter; some watched the ongoing scene with the owner of the diner and the new server that came into town, others focused on other conversations and indulged in the food.

Lucy smiled before a smirk played at her lips.

"And you're not as awful as Natsu painted you to be."

The statement caused Laxus to growl under his breath. His eyes darkened and he shook his head like a parent disappointed in the life choices of their child. The thought made Lucy giggle slightly.

"That idiot. He's still as stupid as he was when he was a kid."

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say, is it?" The two blondes were locked in a gaze as Lucy side eyed him. Now, Natsu was a bit brash and immature, but that was a bit uncalled for. Then again, they had all known each other for some time now.

"When you've known him your entire life, you can say something like that."

Touché.

Shrugging her shoulders, Lucy went back to watching her daughter playing with Elfman. Her shift was finally over and she could take her daughter home and they could relax for the rest of the day. Maybe they could take a stroll through Magnolia's Sakura Park. During the spring time, they had a Rainbow Sakura Tree Festival that represented the arrival of the spring season. It was rumored if you look close enough, the petals of the trees resembled that of a rainbow. Both were excited to see it in person.

"Alright honey! It's time to go home!"

Both Elfman and Allison moaned in disappointment. "But mommy! I wasn't done playing with Mr. Man!"

 _Mr… Man? Where did Allison get these names from?!_

"But Mr. _Elf_ man probably has his own job he has to go back too. And mommy is done with her job. So pack up your things and say bye to Mira and all your new friends."

Jumping off the back of Mira's younger brother, she pouted over towards her backpack and sighed. Lucy rolled her eyes.

 _So dramatic. Definitely something she got from me._

"It was MANLY to meet you two today! I will definitely see you around!" Lucy went to shake his hand, but instead, was embraced by the brute of a man.

"Bye bye Auntie Mira! Bye Mr. Man! Bye Mr. Bolt!"

All adults for the exception of Laxus laughed at the ridiculous nickname given to Laxus. And Lucy thought Mr. Pinkie was bad. She definitely had a lot to teach Allison about when it came to addressing people by their proper names.

"See you later sweet heart! Bye Lucy! Thank you for the wonderful work again today!" Mira gushed and Lucy took Allison's hand.

Before she walked out, she took one last look at Laxus. He was staring down both Lucy and Allison. That overprotective mother instinct kicked in and she narrowed her eyes back at him. A smirk suddenly appeared and the blonde was confused.

"See you at 8am tomorrow, Blondie. See ya later, kid."

She shook her head and smiled. "See you all!"

Hand in hand, Lucy and Allison walked out of the diner, making their way home.

 **A/N: Okay! So what did we think? A lot of character introductions for sure. That was definitely one of the most challenging parts of outlining this story. How do I introduce the characters without it being too overwhelming or just seeming like too much? So slowly but surely, all the important characters to the story are being introduced. The story is going to start off somewhat slow, but once the plot kicks in, it'll start moving a lot faster.**

 **Natsu will be back next chapter! So no fret there. I want to explore a lot of the characters and give them all their own screen time while still being tied Lucy, Natsu, and Allison. Because this story is revolving mainly around the three of them.**

 **So, I'm really going to try and finish this story by October. I know I'm shooting for the stars here considering my track record for updating, but I have submitted an application for the peace corps and if I get the position, I will be leaving for two years. So, instead of taking my time and then being on hiatus for two years, I am going to try and finish this story. Let's cross fingers and hope that can be achieved.**

 **Enough of my rambles. Ya'll know my usual! Reviews are always welcomed! Any comments, concerns, etc. you know where to find me!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Dark Waffle**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello! I'm back! Thanks for all the support in the last chapter! It's great to see that you are all so invested in my story! It makes me happy and encourages me to keep writing! Everyday, I at least try to add 300-400 words to the chapter so I make progress. This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I cut it in two. This is definitely on the lighter note and showcases some of the main relationships I'm going to be working on in this story.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

 **I don't own** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **nor it's contents.**

 _ **From Across the Hall**_

 _ **-O-**_

 _ **Chapter 4: What are friends for?**_

"NATSU. YOU MORON!"

"WHAT THE FUCK. YOU DAMN STRIPPER. GET THE HELL OFF."

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING YOU STUPID PYRO."

"I'M GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS, YOU STUPID SNOWFLAKE."

"WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER HERE AND KISS IT INSTEAD."

"I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO KISS. HOW ABOUT MY FIST INSTEAD?"

Natsu and Gray were entangled, pulling at each other's hair, at each other's mouths as they glared daggers at one another and engaged in physical altercation. They rolled around the floor of Natsu's apartment, not caring about the ruckus or noise they were making.

It was on rare occasion that both men had a day off, so naturally, they stayed inside and played the ever-growing collection of video games that were hardly touched because someone constantly needed saving.

In typical Natsu and Gray fashion, both boys disagreed on the game and when it finally came to choosing how the game was to be played, they picked versus mode and projected their conflicting views on one another through children based video games.

Gray was close to unleashing the finishing move until Natsu accidentally spilled his beer all over Gray, who ended up lunging at the pink haired boy. This lead to a string of insults and flying fists until a very red faced and angry Lucy Heartfilia came knocking down Natsu's door.

"Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster."

Both men – no, _boys_ – gulped in fear as the oldest Heartfilia crossed her arms and tapped her foot with an unrecognizable glared etched on her pretty brown eyes.

"You are both incredibly loud and may I say, have very colorful and disruptive language that can _be heard_ across the hall. And shall I remind you that my _four year old daughter_ can hear you spray your crude and disturbing insults at one another. So, I kindly ask that you _refrain_ from shouting such indecencies!"

"Yes, Lucy. Right away, Lucy." Natsu nodded in stilled fear as he turned pale white.

Gray nodded. "Yes, mam. Right away, mam."

A chilling smile appeared on Lucy's face.

"Great! Allison and I are having pasta for dinner if you want to join us."

Both boys looked at one another and shrugged their shoulders, nodding. Natsu was content with pasta. The more carbs the better. He wasn't going to reject free food. Especially free food from a pretty girl.

"But I do not want to hear another curse word from either of you. Got it?!"

She threw them a pointed look and both the pink haired and raven haired boy stood sharply and nodded.

The devilish smile returned and she made her way from Natsu's door back to her apartment, in which when Lucy opened the door, found a giggling Allison Heartfilia that waved hello to the boys. Gray merely shook his head in disbelief.

"Damn. Lucy is as frightening as Erza."

Natsu shuddered then mumbled to the paramedic. "Don't I know it."

"Say Natsu, you think I got a chance with someone like her?" Gray halfheartedly joked as he padded down on his shoulder.

The pink haired fire fighter narrowed his eyes, then snorted. Gray arched a brow.

"What?"

Natsu then laughed and shook his head. "Not a chance in hell, you damn stripper. Besides, even if she had happened to say yes, which I doubt knowing your emotional destructive self, Juvia would probably murder Lucy before that happened."

At the mention of her name, Gray paled instantly.

"Dammit, you're right." He muttered, but also glared again as he punched Natsu in the arm. "And I'm not emotionally self-destructive, you asshole!"

"Ha! You're full of shit!"

"Shut the fuck up before I knock you on your ass!"

"Try me! I'll take your stripping ass all day and still win!"

"LET'S GO."

"FIGHT ME."

And there was a slamming of the door. Both men were too indulged in their shouting match and string of insults to pay attention to the impeding steps of doom. In a matter of seconds, Natsu and Gray were grabbed by the ends of their ears and pulled down to the short stature of the beautiful blonde that has moved in. Meeting her at eye sight, their eyes flickered in fear as her brows furrowed deeply.

" _Enough._ " She tugged a bit harder and both boys yelped in slight pain.

"Your door is open and not only can Allison and I hear you, but also can the whole entire floor with how loud the two of you are! I will give you one more warning before I ban you from entering my apartment permanently!"

"Ouch! Lucy! That hurts!" Natsu cried as she pulled harder.

"Yeah, oww! What Natsu said!" Gray followed right after.

She released their ears and both boys immediately reached for the lobes.

"Ohhhh mommy is so mad at you!" And at the door frame of their apartment, Allison was hiding behind the door and giggling. "Mommy says it's not okay to say those bad words!"

"But you're not going to repeat anything we say, right Allison?" Gray asked as he rubbed at his ear.

Lucy pinched the nose of her bridge and sighed. Natsu chuckled slightly.

"Nah, she knows better than too! That's why she's smarter than you, Gray."

The raven-haired paramedic threw Natsu a nasty glare, but the pink haired man merely shrugged it off as he winked at the youngest Heartfilia.

Allison giggled and Lucy couldn't help but sigh with a tired smile. In the three weeks that she had been here, Natsu had become an intangible support system. She was shocked by how easily her daughter and the firefighter had gotten along. Lucy supposed it was due to his childish nature that he could bond with Ally so easily.

Gray had also become an unexpected friend that she was starting to see around more often. His friendship with Natsu and his daily coffee runs at the Fairy Diner led to multiple conversations between the two, and even an exchange of phone numbers.

"Come on, kid! Let's go help your mom out with that pasta!" Natsu grabbed Ally by the waist and lifted her to his shoulders, running into her apartment, without invitation of course, with the youngest blonde cheering with excitement.

"Yay! Let's go, Mr. Pinky!"

Lucy sighed at the comment and rolled her eyes. _Still with the ridiculous nickname._

Gray smiled slightly as he dug his hands in his pockets. "The nickname suits him, so I wouldn't lecture her too much about it."

"It's not just his nickname though. She calls Elfman, Mr. Man, You Mr. Ice, and worst of all, Laxus _Mr. Bolt._ And Laxus is my boss." Gray released a tiny chuckle.

"She's just a kid. Ally will learn. Besides, I think Laxus' nickname rather suits him. Guy is kind of a dick."

Lucy sent him a sharp glare and Gray just shrugged his shoulders. "He pays my rent so I would like to not be fired any time soon."

"Nah. Mira likes you. She wouldn't let Laxus get rid of you that easily. Trust me."

There was some comfort in Gray's words and they shared a small smile until the clash of pots and pans interrupted the trivial conversation. Lucy's eyes darted immediately inside.

 _"Hey kid, is this supposed to be in two pieces?"_

 _"Uh oh. That's mommy's favorite one."_

The color vanished from Lucy's face and Gray shook his head.

"What an idiot." He whispered and gestured towards the apartment. "You should probably get in there. Natsu is a lot of things, but a chef is not one. You might want to intervene before he burns down your kitchen."

Color completely drained from her skin. "How ironic considering he is a firefighter." Gray couldn't argue there. He had known Natsu since they were kids. Fire and Natsu did not mix well together at all.

"Are you not staying?" Lucy asked and he shook his head.

"I have to catch up with a friend, but thanks anyway. Save me some though, will ya?"

 _Have to catch up with a friend, eh?_

"I'll see if I can. No promises though with Natsu's appetite."

He rolled his eyes at the comment, but gave her a small smile. As he waved goodbye, there was another crash, one that sounded like breaking glass. Lucy's head whipped almost immediately.

 _"Shit."_

 _"Oh no. Mommy's going to be maaaad."_

"You should probably check on the idiot and make sure he isn't ruining your apartment. See ya, Lucy."

"Right. You are absolutely correct. By Gray."

And with that, the raven-haired man walked out and Lucy sprinted inside, shrieking at the mess of broken glass on the floor. And her favorite cooking utensils left in shambles on the corner of her dining room table.

 ** _-O-_**

After the kitchen fiasco that was Natsu breaking one of her wine glasses and breaking her favorite cooking pot in two pieces, the pyromaniac was officially banned from the Heartfilia kitchen. He could do what he liked in his own home, but Lucy forbade him from stepping anywhere near hers.

While Lucy was cooking in the kitchen with a rather annoyed frown, Natsu was playing with Allison in their living room. Taking a glimpse around the room, he noticed that the once vacant area had come a long way since they moved in almost a month ago.

Small, decorative pieces were hung on the walls along with photos of Allison and Lucy. There were a few photos that included a few people he didn't recognize, but he assumed those were friends or family members of Lucy's past. The living room was also decorated in furniture like a couch and a small coffee table. Of course, the blonde had enlisted in his and Gray's help when it came to carrying these pieces up to her apartment.

"Your turn!"

Allison moved her checker piece across the board and Natsu thought intuitively about his next move. While he may have not been the smartest in school, he wasn't an idiot either. As a firefighter, you had to had common sense and book knowledge.

"You're pretty good, squirt. I'll give you that. But! I'm even better!'

He moved his piece and swallowed up two of her pieces. The smile on her face dropped as she frowned, pouting instantly. Natsu would be lying if he didn't admit that it was the most adorable thing in the world.

"You cheated!" She accused and he instantly furrowed his eye brows.

She may have been 4 years old, but that didn't give her the right to accuse him of cheating! He was not cheater!

"What?! No I didn't!"

"You can't do that move!"

"Yes I can!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Ya huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Ya huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Ya huh!"

Natsu was staring down the youngest Heartfilia then looked down at his board, and looked back at her. She looked like she was about to cry and he didn't make girls cry. Especially cute ones like her.

"My bad. I thought I could." He shrunk back onto the floor and moved his piece back while Allison immediately recovered and the biggest smile now appeared on her face.

 _Tch, she's lucky she's cute._

"Yay! I won!" She cheered as she jumped over Natsu's last checker.

"Fine, fine. You win!" He frowned at first, then pouted, mimicking the same behavior as the child. She looked somewhat guilty, and looked away.

He took this opportunity to smile as he reached for her, grabbing her by the waist once more and lifting her to his shoulders again. "Alright! Celebratory airplane ride!"

"Yay! Yay! Airplane ride!" Allison clapped as she grinned ecstatically.

"Where shall we go, Captain Heartfilia?"

"Let's go to the beach!" She grabbed onto his hair. With a slight tug, Natsu flinched, but carried out his promise.

Lucy walked out of the kitchen with a small. Watching Natsu fly around with her daughter on his shoulders warmed her heart. While Allison never asked, or at least, hasn't asked in some time, she knew her daughter was curious about the whereabouts of her father. The blonde knew it was a void she could not fill. Allison would have to grow up without a father.

It saddened Lucy to have to think that. Despite the relationship she had with hers, having both her parents were vital to her upbringing. She only wished she could have provided that type of life for her daughter.

The first-time Allison asked for her father, Lucy nearly cut her finger off. She was in the middle of making dinner when the young blonde casually asked where her daddy was.

 _"Mommy… where's my daddy?"_

 _Lucy's heart almost stopped as her daughter posed a question she didn't think she would ask for another few years. Pain immediately shot up her arm as the knife she was slicing the tomato with cut her own finger. Her eyes wide with anticipation, Allison was staring at her with in need of an answer._

 _What does she tell her daughter?_

 _She wasn't prepared for this. Nothing was coming to mind. And, she didn't want to paint her father as negatively, especially when the issues were between him and Lucy._

 _"Your dad?"_

 _She nodded, shyly. "My friend has a mommy and a daddy. Where's my daddy?"_

 _Her throat went dry. Lucy's finger was bleeding profusely, but that was the last thought on her mind._

 _"Your dad…" Her voice trailed off, looking down at the finger that continued to bleed. A dark red consumed the cutting board._

 _"Your daddy… he is far away from here, Ally."_

 _Her bright blue eyes shone with a glaze, her brows scrunched in failed understanding._

 _"What do you mean, mommy? My friend's daddy is really close! So, where's mine?" Lucy's heart ached as the sadness in her daughter's eyes grew. Finally paying attention to the bleeding finger, she put pressure and reached for a napkin. Wrapping her finger, she crouched down to her daughter's level and reached for her hands._

 _"It's hard to explain, sweetheart. But know that your daddy loves you."_

 _Allison didn't seem to buy the explanation. Lucy didn't think this was a conversation she would have so earlier. The blonde was anticipating the day's Allison would bring it up, but she didn't expect it to be at this age._

 _"If he loves me, why isn't he here, mommy?"_

 _Her throat was dry and there was a tight squeeze on her heart._

 _"Your daddy does love you, Ally. But, he and I had some things we needed to work on. We couldn't be a whole family. We are both working really hard to be good parents."_

 _Lucy could feel the bile reaching up to her throat. It wasn't as if she was lying, but there wasn't complete truth to the statement._

 _She and Allison's father had a lot of personality and character issues to resolve. But, there wasn't much resolution before Lucy moved to Hargeon. She doubted he was looking for them now. It's been four years._

 _The young Heartfilia looked away from her mother with a pout, and tried to hold back the tears. She wished she could take away her daughter's somberness. Lucy reached out for a hug, embracing her daughter with everything she had._

Natsu's laughter rang throughout their tiny apartment as Allison giggled. Watching the two interact gave her a sense of faith. At first, Lucy was concerned Natsu would spite them because of her daughter's comment.

The effect was almost the complete opposite.

Instead of turning the other way, he embraced Ally's sense of play and adventure. He was such a kid at heart, always taunting her daughter. Watching his interactions with the people around him and his carefree spirit made her chuckle. He accepted her and Allison so easily, not batting an eye to the fact she had a child at her age.

Natsu made it so easy to be around him, despite the teasing. He welcomed her with open arms and helped where he could, even though he was busy with his own life.

He had been a great friend so far, and Lucy hoped he would stick around.

"Alright you two. It's time for dinner." She called out and Natsu stopped immediately in his tracks.

Allison's smile grew.

"Yay! Food time! Put me down, Mr. Pinkie!"

Lucy sighed, shaking her head at the ridiculous nickname. Natsu laughed and complied, pulling her off his shoulders and on the ground. She ran towards the sink and washed her hands.

"This looks great, Lucy!" His mouth was practically watering at the pasta on the dinner table.

"Don't forget to wash your hands first!"

Natsu pouted and then shrugged, ruffling Allison's hair on the way over.

When they finally gathered around the table, both Allison and Natsu thanked Lucy for the food and dug in. Lucy followed with a chuckle when she noticed how similar both her daughter and their neighbor ate. It was true. Allison could eat her own weight easily. It was a wonder she hadn't gained the weight she ate.

But, Lucy made sure to keep her daughter fed well and nutritiously.

At the end of their dinner, Allison dropped her plate off at the sink she couldn't reach (step ladders were wonderful inventions), and ran off to her room to change into her pajamas. Natsu stayed behind to help Lucy clean up the table.

"Maaaan, was that good! Beats the noodles I was going to chow down on for dinner tonight." He grinned and Lucy shook her head with a smile. "Thanks again, Lucy!"

"You really should learn how to cook more balanced meals, Natsu. Eating all that sodium will only clog your arteries." Lucy didn't mean to chastise him, but it was so fun.

His grin grew wider, if that was even possible.

"What's clogged arteries when the fires will take me out first."

While he laughed, Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Yes, because burning to death sounds so thrilling."

"At least I'd go down as a hero."

What a morbid topic, she thought. But, the smile wouldn't stop from reaching her lips as Natsu's contagious laugh rang throughout her kitchen. As she washed at her dishes, the giggle escaped her lips and the pink haired firefighter grinned once more.

"If that's your preference."

"Nah. That comes second to being smothered by a pretty blonde."

It took her a moment to register Natsu's comment, but when she finally did, her face turned beat red and she immediately turned towards him.

There was a smirk on his lips and Lucy choked on her own words. Her reply fell on her lips and she could feel her cheeks burn hotter by the minute.

"Wha- What? Don't just say things like that, you idiot!" Natsu's smirk remained as he chuckled.

He faked a gasp and covered his mouth. "Ms. Heartfilia, did you just say a bad word in front of your daughter?"

Lucy glared as she put her hands to her hips. "I did no such thing!"

"What did you not do, mommy?" Allison was staring up at her mom while wearing her pajama dress. She was carrying around an old, mermaid doll that was definitely worse for wear. But, she was clutching it close to her body, so Natsu assumed it was very important to her.

The blonde sighed, and shot Natsu a quick frown.

"Nothing at all, honey. Did you brush your teeth, already?"

Her daughter replied with a toothy grin that showcased her pearly whites. Natsu laughed in the background. "See how clean my teeth are, Mr. Pinkie!"

"Oh yeah? Watcha think about mine!" And Natsu followed with a toothy grin of his own, revealing his gems. Ally tilted her head to the side, gaze intent.

"Not as clean as mine!" Allison concluded as she smirked like she won something.

The pink haired firefighter frowned. But then crossed his arms and nodded. "You do have pretty clean teeth. I'll give ya the win on that one!"

Lucy dropped down to Allison's level and tugged down on her pajama dress. "Okay sweetheart. Say goodnight to Mr. Natsu now."

Her head dipped low and she pouted. "Aww… "

"Allison…" Lucy groaned, knowing full well her daughter's game. But Natsu stepped in as he put a hand to her head.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll play again soon, okay?"

Her eyes lit up as her smile split her face in half. "Tomorrow!?"

"Unfortunately not because I have to be an adult tomorrow and go to work, but maybe a few days from now. What do you say?" There goes that grin again, Lucy thought to herself as she watched the interaction between her daughter and neighbor.

They had really taken a liking to one another and it warmed her heart.

"You promise!?"

Lucy's heart tightened at the charismatic and fulfilling smile that crossed Natsu's face.

"You bet I do!"

"Yay! Good night Mr. Pinkie!"

She then proceeded to give her mother a kiss on the cheek and ran back to her room, calling out to Lucy to hurry so she could tell her a bed time story. Both adults laughed and Lucy replied with a be there soon.

Walking to the door, Natsu yawned, groaning at the thought of his morning shift the next day.

"I don't know what it is, Natsu Dragneel, but my daughter has really taken a liking to you." Lucy stated, and Natsu turned with a grin.

"She's a cute kid. Has lots of spunk. She's a lot of fun to be around. Makes me wish I was a kid again." He reached for his keys and Lucy leaned against the door frame with a candid smile.

"Ally does that to you." Brushing a stray hair back, her brown eyes went soft. "But honestly, thank you for spending time with her. She hasn't had it easy and it means a lot that you sit down and play with her."

Natsu's eyes shifted from that of playful glee to a more serious gaze. The grin dropped and flat line stretched on his lips. It worried Lucy for a moment. This was the first time since she met him that Lucy hadn't seen a smile or smirk on him.

"You ever need anything, Lucy, you just ask, alright? That's what friends are for."

And just like that, his smile was back.

Was it possible for someone's smile to radiate so brightly?

They waved goodnight to one another as Lucy smiled for one last time in the night. Closing the door behind her, all she could think about was the kind hearted, playful, outgoing, brash neighbor of hers sitting down and playing with her imaginative and high energy daughter.

"Mommy! Story time! Story time!"

Lucy sighed, shaking her head.

The duties of a mother never end.

 **A/N: How was it? Did ya'll enjoy it? I found myself smiling a lot after I read it. And, it included my three of my six favorite relationships/friendships in the series: NaLu, GrayLu, and Gratsu (the other two being Gajevy, Levy and Lucy, and Gajeel and Lucy). The story will continue progressing in the next chapter as some of our favorite and core characters of the series are FINALLY making an entrance. I didn't anticipate for them to take so long to be introduced, but when the story just writes itself sometimes, there's nothing you can do.**

 **Anyway! Ya'll know my usual! Reviews are always welcomed! Any comments, concerns, etc. you know where to find me!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Dark Waffle**


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